


Designing an Angel

by Zeelian



Series: The Eternal Universe - Children of the Shamarai [4]
Category: Fantasy - Fandom, Original Work, Science Fiction - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Mythology, Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Magic, Androids, Artificial Intelligence, Demon Law, Demonic Culture, Familiars, Multi, Pack Building, Soulmates, Youma Merging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-13 09:21:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 50,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21491995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zeelian/pseuds/Zeelian
Summary: After granting Saga and their daughters the Blessing Takeshi heads back to Miami and starts working hard on Angel's body, as well as preparing their home to receive Iðunn and Eir.There is also the task of teaching Eric more about his new abilities as a blessed, and his place within the pack as Dan's mate to be.And then there is Hiroto...
Series: The Eternal Universe - Children of the Shamarai [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1414114





	1. Interlude 2058

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2058_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Good morning Eric.”  
Takeshi gently brushed his aura against Eric, intentionally tapping into the bond and transmitting the feelings seeing Eric and Dan wrapped around each other elicited in him.  
“Oh, damn, wow...”  
“Feels good doesn't it.”  
Dan hummed softly, allowing the touch of Takeshi's power to light a smoldering heat within.  
“No shit... Damn.”  
“Eric, language.”  
Takeshi scolded gently and allowed a cold edge to enter the bond.  
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry...”  
Eric instantly rolled over on his back, baring his throat and belly to Takeshi, begging for forgiveness.  
“Ssh, easy. Don't let the bond overwhelm you. Push it aside, read it, feel it, but don't be ruled by it.”  
Takeshi instantly pulled the cold edge back and flooded the bond with warmth, approval, and protection while also soothing Dan who was hissing defensively at him, trying to protect his mate-to-be from the wrath of his alpha.  
Deep down Dan knew Takeshi wasn't actually angry, but Eric strong reaction triggered his own.  
“Easy beta, I'm not going to harm your simoro.”  
As Eric calmed down, so did Dan and soon both of them were curled into each other again, but their attention was focused on Takeshi.  
“Feeling better?”  
“Yeah... That was seriously uncomfortable. I could feel your disappointment and all I could think of was to seek forgiveness, to redeem myself.”  
“I'm sorry, but sometimes a hands on lesson is more effective. As the dominant Alpha of the pack my moods can have a strong effect on the rest of you. Especially when I intentionally scold you.”  
“No kidding... It felt horrible...”  
“Well, I did push a bit over the bond as well to let you feel it, but you will get used to feeling me, and as you do you will learn how to keep my feelings from overwhelming you.”  
“Okay...”  
“Sometimes it feels really good to just open up to him though.”  
Dan's teasing addition made Eric blush, telling Takeshi that Dan had used the bond to share some of his emotions as well.  
  


“As you can no doubt feel the acting betas have a pretty strong presence in the bond as well. The others you won't feel as strongly unless they are in distress. A distress call will feel far stronger than what you just felt from me, it can drive an entire pack to a frenzy.”  
“Which I guess can be a bad thing?”  
“It can be, the frenzied state of near panic triggered by a rescue frenzy can make it hard for a pack to act on logic, making them vulnerable to traps.”  
A flicker of grim realization shifted through Eric's aura as he understood the implications of how the bond could be used against the pack by trapping and hurting a member to drive the rest into a mindless frenzy.  
“You won't let us lose ourselves, will you?”  
There was trust, and understanding, in Eric's words.  
“You're right, I will fight with everything I have to keep you level, to keep you from falling to the frenzy, but part of that is teaching you to distance yourself from the bond, to choose how strongly you feel it.”  
“I'll need a lot more lessons, won't I?”  
“You will, but don't worry, you have good instincts and a good connection to your instincts so you will learn fast.”  
“And I have a feeling you can be a very good teacher.”  
“I have been told I can be very _motivational_.”  
“I'm sure you can...”  
The somewhat hungry look, and teasing tone was plenty enough to tell Eric just what kind of motivational techniques Takeshi used, he didn't need Dan flooding him with emotions and images over the new bond.  
  


“Eric, will you allow me to have a closer look at you new form as a human? We got a bit distracted last night.”  
“Yeah, of course.”  
Takeshi offered him his hand, and when he took it he pulled him to his feet.  
“You eyes are similar to mine, the same red as in your gryphon form. You will probably be able to hide that with your shift. But if you can't, we can use contacts or an illusion charm to hide it.”  
“Or we can leave it and let people assume I'm wearing colored contacts.”  
“We can do that too if you feel more comfortable that way.”  
“Maybe we can start a fashion trend, let others like us move around more openly without being considered freaks or weirdos.”  
“Maybe.”  
Takeshi agreed softly before reaching out and taking Eric's hand.  
“It's possible, I mean, the girls don't need to hide their claws thanks to all those fancy fake nail fashions. We just...”  
Dan's voice suddenly trailed off with a flicker of old pain as his own words reminded him of the ridicule, scorn, and sometimes abuse, suffered by males who engaged in activities considered to be feminine, such as wearing their nails long, or painted.  
It was somewhat accepted in some subcultures such as Goth males wearing their nails long and painted black, but those still suffered scorn and ridicule from those not part of their culture.  
  


“Dan, love, you will always have us at your side, we don't care if you choose to be _Yi Tzi Yin. _And we don't care if you decide to be flashy about it.”  
“I know, I just wish humans in general would be as accepting.”  
“Uhm, what does that you just said mean?”  
Eric's question distracted Dan from his line of thought and halted the negative spiral of his mood.  
“You mean _Yi Tzi Yin_?”  
“Yeah...”  
“It's from Urui, it's a common term used to describe those who are genderless or multi-gendered.”  
“So it's like how Ylian introduced hi... Eh, yi self?”  
“That's right, it has its origin in the pronouns and titles used by shadelings among others.”  
“Urui is a mess to learn...”  
“Don't worry, you're doing just fine.”  
“If you say so...”  
“I do say so. Now would you stop with the distractions?”  
Takeshi sighed softly and tugged at Eric's hand to bring them back from the sidetrack.  
“Now, these claws are sharp and might take some getting used to.”  
“Yeah, I already tore up a pillow, and nicked Dan with them...”  
“I'm sure my dear beta didn't mind that at all.”  
“No, you're right, he didn't.”  
Eric laughed as Dan turned bright red.  
“Guess having you and Em as lovers has gotten him addicted to claws.”  
“Indeed.”  
Takeshi nodded with a teasing smile before gently making Eric turn around so he could look at the pattern of scales.  
“Hmm, they are black...”  
There was a hint of disappointment in Takeshi's voice.  
“Would you step out there and shift please? I would like to see if the mark has altered your colors.”  
“Okay, but like I said, I don't care if it changed the color of my feathers.”  
  


Moments later Eric was once again in his massive gryphon form and much to Takeshi's relief there was no addition of black in his feathers or fur.  
“Look, here it is.”  
Dan pointed to a pattern of feathers and fur that had turned crystalline and picked up a slight bluish tint, giving it the appearance of blue ice.  
“It's beautiful...”  
Takeshi gently brushed his hand over the altered area which made a slight shiver pass through Eric's body.  
“Thank you for turning my mark into something so stunning.”  
“I think the beak has changed too.”  
Dan's words made Takeshi look, and he agreed that the black part of the beak looked more crystalline that it had before.  
“Do you want to shift back?”  
They could tell that Eric was being a bit skittish.  
_“Yeah, the room, it feels uncomfortably small in this form.”_  
“Then go on, shift.”  
Moments later Eric was human again.  
“I'm starving... Feels like I could eat a cow...”  
Eric's soft complaint caused a moment of silence, then Takeshi and Dan both broke down laughing.  
“Don't worry, it's your new metabolism, you probably can eat an entire cow, at least in your gryphon form, and one can be arranged if you want to.”  
“I bet I can, but for now how about giving me some breakfast?”  
“Of course.”  
Takeshi just laughed at the impatience and nudged Dan to go fetch food.  
  


“There's something I would like you to try before you eat.”  
Takeshi gently held on to Eric's shoulder, urging him to stay behind.  
“What?”  
“Do you remember how you reacted to my blood last night?”  
“Yeah... It was strange...”  
“Like I explained before, with Iðunn and Eir, those I change tend to develop vampiric tendencies, and a taste for blood, especially mine.”  
“Yeah, I remember.”  
“I would like to see how you react to my blood, if you are willing.”  
“It's not like it would be the first time...”  
“You are pack now, come here.”  
Takeshi indicated for Eric to have a seat in his lap.  
“Here, trust your instincts, you have the fangs for it now.”  
Takeshi offered Eric his neck and he could see his eyes glaze over slightly before leaning in and biting down.  
“Ssh, relax. Just focus on taking what you need, I can handle it.”  
Takeshi wrapped his arms around the newest member of his pack, gently holding him close while allowing him to drink deeply from his life force.  
  


“_Are you getting a hardon?”_  
Eric's mental voice was clearly amused when he felt Takeshi's reaction to being fed on.  
“Definitely. It's a very intense feeling to have someone feed from you, and my own vampiric nature, and alpha nature, makes the effect very strong despite you not having the Hunter's Lure, yet at least.”  
_“Lecher...”_  
Eric's teasing quip was accompanied by him shifting around a bit, giving Takeshi more contact, pressing their bodies together and making his growing erection ache.  
“Tease...”  
Takeshi could feel the pleased amusement in Eric's aura and he wasn't surprised when he kept moving and grinding against him while drinking deeply, quickly pushing him to the edge of the abyss.  
“Please, bite harder...”  
The groaned out request triggered a flicker of amusement, but moments later Eric did as Takeshi had asked and bit down hard, pushing him into the abyss, only to find himself dragged down as well by Takeshi's feelings over the bond, and the way the flavor of the blood changed.  
  


“Feeling less starved?”  
“Yeah, a lot better now. I'm still seriously hungry though.”  
“Yeah, blood sates a different hunger, and digests differently. You will probably find yourself needing both blood, and a significant increase in your food intake, at least for a while.”  
“And I'll need more raw stuff like meat and fish, right?”  
“Mhm.”  
Takeshi gently sniffed at the air, picking up the subtle scent of breakfast.  
“Try to see if you can smell our breakfast.”  
“I can smell it, and it smells great, but I can't tell what it is...”  
“It's mostly gong, but quite a few other things as well.”  
“Gong was good, even raw.”  
“I have a feeling you will like it even more now.”  
“If you say so.”  
  


“Wow, that looks awesome!”  
Eric almost knocked Dan over as he pounced at the cart with food, grabbing several slices of raw gong and gobbling them down.  
“Cast aside for breakfast...”  
Dan mock complained while making himself comfortable in Takeshi's lap to watch his mate-to-be sate the hunger of a creature several times larger.  
“Don't worry, I'm quite sure he will have you for desert.”  
“Perv...”  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2058_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


Takeshi had retreated to his study to work on the designs for Angel's body when there was a soft knock at the door.  
“Enter.”  
“Take, can I have a word with you?”  
“Of course Eric. Hello Leiia.”  
Eric slowly crossed the floor and took a seat on the couch next to Takeshi's desk while Leiia tried to crawl into Takeshi's lap, mewling at him to pick her up.  
“Don't you think you're a bit big to be a lapcat?”  
The annoyed hiss made it perfectly clear she didn't agree.  
“Okay, but just for a short while.”  
Takeshi picked the large familiar up and tried to get comfortable again.  
  


“So, what did you want to talk about?”  
“I have been thinking about those flying lessons.”  
“Hmm?”  
“I was thinking, maybe we should wait until Iðunn and Eir move here since you mentioned bringing them to the demon realm once they are pack.”  
“If you are sure you want to wait that long, sure.”  
“It's not that I **want** to wait... I **want** to go right away, I don't want to wait even a second longer... It's just, even thinking about going without them feels so very wrong.  
The contradictory statement made Takeshi smile.  
“You have very strong pack instincts, and a loyal heart. This makes you respond strongly to certain aspects of the bond. Do you think you can tell me which part of the bond you are reacting to now?”  
Takeshi took the opportunity to test, and teach, a bit.  
“The idea of leaving a pack member out of reach.”  
“Indeed. Pack stays together. And the fact that you react like this even to the idea of leaving a future member behind shows that you have exceptionally strong pack loyalty. And that is something that does you great honor. It's also something that makes you **very** desirable to any alpha.”  
“Why do I get a feeling that's not a good thing?”  
“Because you have good instinct.”  
Eric sighed at the less than helpful answer.  
  


“So, what kind of trouble can it cause?”  
“If you come across another alpha they may try to steal you away, try to override my claim, trying to force your loyalty to shift to them instead.”  
“No!”  
The instant, powerful rejection and revulsion almost overwhelmed Takeshi for a moment, and he could feel the rest of the pack honing in on them to find out what was wrong.  
“I know, your loyalty is not because of the bond. It stems from your heart, such loyalty can not be forced, nor stolen. And I will fight any alpha who tries. And I will kill them if they don't submit.”  
“...”  
“Does it bother you that I would kill to protect you, to keep you with us?”  
“No, I've already seen you do that even if I didn't see the death. As much as Rick might have deserved to die for having hurt others, for the things he had done, and the risk he posed for the things he was obviously willing to do, you killed him because he had hurt my feelings, betrayed me, didn't you?”  
“I did.”  
Takeshi spun his chair around, nudged Leiia to jump down, then reached out for Eric.  
  


“Visiting the demon realm will be different for you this time. Now that you have power others will respond differently to you. And we can't fight your battles for you anymore.”  
“So I need to be careful.”  
“You do, but you did well before so I think you'll be okay.”  
“I hope so, I don't want to bring shame on the pack.”  
Eric's words made Takeshi laugh and ruffle his hair.  
“You won't. Now, either help me work on these designs, or go bother your simoro.”  
Eric just gave Takeshi a crooked look, then moved over to the desk and pulled out one of the extra chairs, leaving the small couch for Leiia who could be quite the princess about laying on the floor if there was soft furniture around.  
“Dan told me I should listen to the urge to be close to you, that it will help the fresh bond to settle down.”  
“Yeah, it will. Your instincts are telling you to form a good, strong, relationship with the Alpha of the pack. Especially since you will be mating the Beta, it's a residual instincts from more primal times when only the Alpha was permitted to mate and have offspring unless food was very abundant.”  
“Yeah, he explained that too.”  
“Good.”  
Takeshi shifted the display slightly to allow Eric to see it properly, warned Leiia not to claw his couch, then went back to work.  
  


“So, what are you working on?”  
“Angel's body.”  
“Ah, you mentioned that before. How's it coming?”  
“Good actually, really good. Right now I'm working on her physical appearance, and it's a surprise for her so she has agreed to create a restricted partition of herself for this project, that way I have the benefit of her advanced software, but she is unaware of what I'm creating.”  
“Is this an order form for a sex doll?”  
Eric stared at the page being displayed on the screen.  
“Indeed it is. They have the best artificial skin available and we have decided to simply order a few of their dolls to the sizes we need, then replace the innards with a Mandrake special with all the sensors and computing power that Angel needs.”  
“Are you making wings for her as well?”  
“Yeah, one of the bodies will be based on her angel avatar. I'm actually having a cosplay designer help the robotics department with the design of the wings to make sure they will look good. Hugin, Munin, Hiroto, Lucifer and several Obsidian have all donated feathers for the final version.”  
“Damn, some of these actually look pretty good.”  
“Yeah, they do. We're making custom orders though.”  
“Something more girl next door and less porn star..?”  
“Indeed.”  
When Eric reached for the holographic display Takeshi just moved a bit to allow him easy access.  
  


“You mentioned that you consider Angel to be your daughter, would you tell me a bit about her mother?”  
For a moment Takeshi hesitated, then he took a deep breath and began speaking.  
“Her name was Emelie Daniels, we called her D. Others knew her as the hacker D-Rex.”  
“You loved her.”  
“Yeah, I did...”  
The pain wasn't as sharp as it had once been, now it was a familiar, dull ache, one he welcomed, and embraced.  
“Do you have a picture of her?”  
“Yeah.”  
Takeshi brought up his personal folder of pictures that he had collected over the years with the unit, his own little treasure.  
“She's beautiful.”  
“That she was.”  
When he felt Eric's hand on his shoulder Takeshi just leaned into the touch.  
“She was amazing, fierce, brilliant, and had a mercurial temper that would keep anyone on their toes.”  
“She sounds like quite a woman.”  
“Indeed...”  
When Eric reached out and selected a picture of him and Daniels, the one Maria had taken their first night together in Ginza, Takeshi grew curious.  
  


“What are you doing? What's that?”  
He watched with avid curiosity as Eric brought up a web page and downloaded something before asking Angel to run several of the pictures through the software.  
“Oh, just a little something Carrie always plays around with whenever she finds a guy she likes.”  
“Cheeky little...”  
Takeshi grumbled at the lack of an answer, but kept watching what Eric was doing as several images of him and Daniels came up on the displays and moments later a new image appeared, showing an infant boy.  
“Let's see, female, 20 years old... Mom's nose, Daddy's eyes...”  
When Eric began changing various settings Takeshi realized what the program was, it was a program that created a prediction of how a child would look based on how the parents looked.  
“I see...”  
“She should look like her parents, shouldn't she?”  
“She should have her mother's eyes, D had such beautiful eyes.”  
Eric sighed in objection, but he quickly selected the eyes and moved a slider to make the eyes draw their appearance more from the images of Daniels, gaining an almond shape with a slightly tilted set, the outer corners higher than the inner.  
“I still think she should have your eyes, that brilliant fire is just too stunning.”  
“Maybe a compromise? Can you give them the shape of D's eyes, and my color?”  
“Mhm, let me just refine the selection area.”  
A few adjustments later the green of Daniels' eyes was replaced with Takeshi's fiery amber.  
“Yeah, that definitely works.”  
Eric quickly moved through a few more selections, moving sliders back and forth between _Mother_ and _Father_.  
“She definitely needs to have your hairline, that widow's peak is really neat. And that color of yours will give some amazing contrast.”  
A few quick adjustments later long black hair framed the face.  
  


“I think we should go 50/50 on the lips, your D had nice plump lips, and you have a very delicious looking cupid's bow.”  
“Oh, I do do I?”  
Takeshi leaned closer and brushed his lips along the curve of Eric's ear.  
“Care for a taste?”  
“Not now, I'm busy.”  
Eric distractedly swatted Takeshi away, too engrossed in the work on the picture to even notice the incredulous look on his alpha's face that slowly morphed into something amused mixed with a predatory determination.  
“Too busy to play with your Alpha?”  
He gently dragged a claw along the scales of the pack mark, making Eric shiver slightly, but even that didn't distract the man from his focus, instead he just swatted at Takeshi again, completely focused on the screen.  
“Maybe I should have Angel turn that thing off?”  
“Don't you dare.”  
“Oh? And pray tell, what would happen if I do?”  
“I go use computer in my room since you wouldn't violate the sanctity of our private rooms unless our lives are at stake.”  
The no nonsense answer made Takeshi sigh, then laugh.  
“Indeed I wouldn't. You have learned well.”  
He placed one last soft kiss at the nape of Eric's neck before pulling back and giving him his space again.  
“I will tease, try to seduce you into letting me claim you again, lure you into my bed, but I won't go where I'm not welcome, not wanted.”  
The words instantly made Eric pause and turn around with a confused look.  
  


“That's not what... I didn't mean...”  
Eric's voice was clearly somewhat distraught at the idea of Takeshi believing he was not wanted, but then he noticed the glow of wicked humor in his alpha's eyes.  
“Asshole..!”  
Takeshi suddenly found himself at the receiving end of a searing kiss, frustration with hints of anger that slowly bled away.  
“Don't you ever do anything like that to me again...”  
“I can't promise you that.”  
There was a short flare of heated anger, then Eric deflated with a sigh.  
“I know...”  
“It wasn't my intention to upset you.”  
Takeshi trailed kisses along Eric's jaw, apology and comfort.  
“....”  
For a moment there was just tense silence, then Eric relaxed.  
“I know that too idiot...”  
“Aw, is that any way to talk to your Alpha?”  
“Hell yeah! If it walks like duck & talks like a duck I'm gonna call it a fucking duck.”  
“Eric..! Language...”  
Takeshi managed to sound so scandalized it made Eric break down laughing and moments later Takeshi was laughing too.  
“The way you challenge me, you are definitely going to turn out being a solid, dominant, beta. Just like your simoro.”  
“And you just love it, don't you?”  
“Oh yeah...”  
Eric gave him one long look, then he huffed at him and turned back to the screens, and the picture.  
“Weirdo...”  
Takeshi didn't try to distract him again, he quite enjoyed the way Eric could be so utterly goal oriented.  
  


“You're pretty good at this.”  
Takeshi looked at the image that Eric had created from the old pictures and he found that he very much liked the way Daniels' features had been blended with his own.  
“Well, helping Dad with the store wasn't my first career choice. I was actually an arts major.”  
“Oh? Care to elaborate?”  
“Digital Arts with a side of design, drawing and airbrush.”  
“Did you have a career in mind?”  
“Yeah, I wanted to design and paint custom paint jobs for cars and bikes.”  
“Ah, so that's how you ended up working with your dad?”  
“Well, he needed a hand around the shop, and I was hoping to get in touch with potential clients, it was just supposed to be for a few months until my apprenticeship came through. But then... Well, it never did...”  
“I could see about using my connections to get you back into it.”  
“I rather learn whatever method you used to rework that R35 of yours.”  
“If that's what you want, I'll teach you.”  
“Thanks...”  
“For now, let's place a few orders for fake flesh, then get you back to your simoro, I can feel him getting antsy.”  
“Yeah, that's probably a good idea. And Leiia is getting hungry.”  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2058_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


With the orders placed Takeshi grabbed Eric and headed to the kitchen and gave Leiia a nice big bone with lots of meat on it before heading to the garden where he could sense most of the pack gathered.  
The moment they got outside Leiia bolted toward the shaded area where Yami and the other beasts were resting and quickly set out on the task of devouring her snack.  
A quick glance around told Takeshi that most of his chosen family were working on their various studies, though the twins were down in their workshop helping Angel make books, and Emelie had her workstation set up.  
It was currently covered in various ingots of precious metals, telling Takeshi that she was working on making the various fittings and metal decorations for her jewelry, most of hers was custom orders, but she did make limited series of regular jewelry as well.  
The income from her craft was small compared to the revenue generated by Takeshi's corporate holdings, but it helped her feel useful.  
He also found that Dan and Hiroto were engaged in a game of Go and his curiosity drew him there.  
  


“So, what's your verdict on the skills of my little beta here?”  
Dan twitched visibly when Takeshi spoke up, he had clearly been very focused on the game.  
“He has potential, his game is tactically sound, and he does come up with some rather interesting moves sometimes.”  
“I can hear the _But_ you know...”  
Dan grumbled softly before placing his next stone.  
“Indeed there is one. You are impatient, this makes you try to aggressively force the game in the direction you want it to go which makes it easier for an experienced player such as myself to read your intentions.”  
“That's what Granny's aunt always told me when she played chess with me... Something about me needing to learn to let the game play itself...”  
“She sounds like a wise woman.”  
“She was. She's the one who told me to leave and move to Gothenburg when my parents didn't want to accept my bisexuality. Told me to go and not look back, that their inability to accept me was their failing, not mine.”  
“Definitely a wise woman.”  
“I never did understand what she meant about letting the game play itself though...”  
“Clearly.”  
Hiroto teased softly before taking a breath to try to see if he could explain.  
“Come, join me by the water.”  
“Okay...”  
Dan was clearly confused but did as Hiroto asked and Takeshi and Eric joined them as well.  
  


Hiroto moved to the edge of one of the water features where they had a sandpit that acted in part as a filter, but also as a modified Zen garden where actual water flowed, generating soft patterns in the sand, patterns that were changed by moving stones around.  
Hiroto quickly grabbed one of the small shovels and moved some of the sand around to create a shallow stream that broke away from the main flow.  
“The game is like a river, our moves guiding its flow, we need to gently guide it to flow where we want it.”  
While he spoke he placed a stone at the edge of the water, generating whirls that slowly changed the patterns and made the small stream turn slightly as the water shifted the sand around the stone.  
“If we try to force it by placing stones in the middle of the flow it becomes unstable and can end up going in a different direction than intended.”  
He dropped a fairly large and rough stone into the middle of the stream he had made and soon the motion of the water flowing around it had created some rather chaotic patterns, and the stream took off in a completely different direction.  
“Instead we need to be patient and place stones to guide it in the direct we want it to go.”  
He began placing stones at the edge of the flow, encouraging the water to take the easier path and gradually returned it back to the main flow.  
  


“You know what, It actually makes some sense when seeing it like this. Most of this philosophical stuff tends to pass me right over, but seeing it like this it becomes a bit easier to grasp.”  
“I would be honored to teach you a bit about Eastern philosophy.”  
“If all your lessons are this, hands on, I would love to.”  
“Would it be okay if I joined those lessons as well?”  
Eric sounded somewhat hesitant.  
“Of course, why wouldn't it?”  
“Well, I can tell there's plenty of attraction between the two of you, and I thought... Maybe you wanted those lessons as a chance for some privacy...”  
“No, that was not my intention.”  
Hiroto quickly assured Eric that had not been his intention with the offer to teach Dan.  
“Mine neither.”  
Dan quickly agreed with Hiroto.  
“But thank you for trusting me with your intended, for offering to allow us privacy if we desired it.”  
As the conversation continued Takeshi began tuning it out in favor for making his rounds, having a quick chat with everyone in turn before grabbing a snack and returning to his study to do more work.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2058_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Angel, could you sneak a peek at Iðunn's and Eir's search-data for me please?”  
“That is some very private information.”  
Angel instantly objected to Takeshi's request.  
“I know, I'm not asking you to give me any details, I was hoping you could find a pattern in what style of furniture they seem to like. Color schemes and all that.”  
“Oh, you want suggestions for how to decorate their bungalow?”  
“Indeed.”  
They had already agreed to set up one of the eastern bungalows for them as they wanted to have the sunrise at the door, and sunset at the bed and the doors of all the bungalows faced the water, and the bedrooms faced the inner garden.  
“Alright, but be warned, you will only be given a filtered version.”  
“Of course, I have no desire to violate their privacy.”  
For a moment Angel's galaxy projection swirled in silence, then she spoke up softly.  
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply you would...”  
“I know sweetie.”  
Moments later a holographic representation of the bungalow appeared along with a selection of items that Angel had picked based on their search data, and the conversations she had with them about how they wanted their bungalow.  
  


“They have mentioned on several occasions that they want a lot of plants, especially ornamental grasses, ferns, various feather palms and ivies.”  
Hundreds of pictures of the kind of plants they wanted flitted by rapidly as Angel sorted them into categories.  
“That sounds like a suitable assignment for Anne, and maybe have Julia help her create planters.”  
“I'm sure they would love to be part of preparing a home for Iðunn and Eir.”  
“As am I.”  
While they spoke the displays changed to showcase furniture.  
  


“Interesting. Black base, dark woods with warm tones highlighted by gold and lots of warm lights, green plants and splatters of red.”  
Takeshi found that his daughters had quite interesting taste.  
“They have been begging their mother to have their rooms redone in black for years, but she has been refusing, citing that it would make them look too dark.”  
“Well, in that case we should make their rooms nice and dark.”  
“And warm.”  
Angel added when he left that part out.  
“Indeed, dark and warm.”  
“I think they would appreciate a water feature with Sanctuary creatures as well, they have done extensive searches on bioluminescence in aquatic lifeforms.”  
“How do you think they would like if we added some Sanctuary butterflies?”  
“I think they would enjoy that a lot.”  
“Could you bring up images of butterflies with dark colors please?”  
“Of course.”  
The screens instantly lit up with a selection of butterflies, including several swallowtail species.  
“Widen search parameters to include art renderings, and add gold to the search phrase.”  
Hundreds of new images flickered to life as Angel searched through them and sorted them into sections.  
  


“Hmm, could you focus on the gold ones that look a bit like they are made from filigree with diamonds?”  
“Of course.”  
The selection quickly narrowed down to the selected ones.  
“Would you like me to create a holographic approximation of these using an extrapolation based on data of real butterflies?”  
“Please, and could you add a warm glow, and maybe something like red and black enamel.”  
“Like this?”  
The holographic display came to life with a sample selection of what looked like jewelry butterflies in gold, black and red, all with a subtle glow ranging from a warm yellow to a deep red.  
“Yeah, like that. Could you make a few based on real butterflies as well?”  
“Right away.”  
Several different Swallowtails, a Red-spotted Purple Admiral, and the iconic Monarch butterfly quickly came to life and they were soon joined by several color morphs based on the real life versions.  
“Oh, those are perfect! Your artistic sense has developed nicely.”  
Takeshi watched as the creatures made of pure light flitted about and soon dozens of them were spread around the study, adding spots of subtle light wherever they flew, or landed.  
“I just did what you asked me to.”  
“No, I only suggested a baseline, you created their form, their colors.”  
“Based on the work of others...”  
“But in your own way, combining features after your own mind, that is an excellent display of artistic talent.”  
“If you insist...”  
“Oh, I do.”  
He looked at the glowing images for a few more moments before making up his mind.  
“I think I'll have a bunch of those added here too, they offer a comfortable, subtle, light.”  
When Angel didn't answer him he turned his attention back to the scale rendering of the bungalow and started to select furniture from the various categories she had prepared.  
  


“They haven't looked at any desks, have they?”  
“They are teen girls, of course they haven't.”  
“Do you think they might like having something similar to my desk? Live edge emberwood?”  
“They did seem to like the images we showed them of your study and the colors do match their other choices.”  
“So, is that a yes?”  
“Yeah, I do believe it is. I think they would enjoy having desks made from emberwood, maybe more of the furniture as well.”  
There was a brief pause then Angel added that perhaps they should ask their demon residents if there was a wood similar to emberwood that went more toward gold than red.  
“That's a very good idea.”  
“I think they would enjoy something similar to the fairy garden lights as well. Though... I'm not sure... More mature?”  
Angel's confusion made Takeshi smile.  
“Perhaps what you are looking for is less cute?”  
“Maybe...”  
“I think it might work if we focus more on things like glowing crystal clusters, water features with bioluminescent creatures, maybe even plankton to make the water itself light up.”  
“And skip the faeries and frilly flowers?”  
“And skip the faeries and frilly flowers.”  
Takeshi agreed with a smile.  
“I have a suggestion, if I may...”  
“Of course.”  
“A thin layer of Sanctuary crystal could be added to the ceiling, allowing for the projection of light to mimic Noctilucent clouds, or even the Aurora Borealis.”  
“That's an excellent idea, I think they would enjoy that. And I think everyone will be begging for it if we manage to make it look good.”  
“If you say so...”  
The slight hesitation made Takeshi sigh.  
  


“Angel, what have I said about doubting yourself like that?”  
“Don't...”  
“Indeed. Trust me, you are doing great, and trust yourself, I know I do.”  
With a huff he brushed his fingers over the sensor pad on his desk, it was a prototype for what would eventually be the sensors in Angel's new body, these were supposed to be extra sensitive, for areas such as hands and face.  
They would allow her to register all kinds of sensations much the same way a human would, the current tests he was running was to see if they could make Sanctuary crystal sensors capable of feeling and interpreting the touch of an aura.  
“I'm pretty sure that tickled...”  
The reaction made Takeshi break down into laughter which earned him a rather crooked look from the holographic avatar.  
“It's quite possible it did. Would you like to do some sensor tests aimed at inducing the sensations commonly associated with something that tickles?  
“Please...”  
”Okay, let's save this project for now and head back to the garden then.”  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2058_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


Once back in the garden Takeshi set the experimental sensor array down on one of the tables and flared his aura gently to get the attention of the others.  
“Would you care to help me teach Angel about the sensation of tickling?”  
“Oh, how?”  
“Well, I want you to suggest things that you associate with a tickling sensation since it varies between individuals.”  
“You mean other than you being evil and torturing us with your claws?”  
Amber's deadpan question had everyone snickering while Takeshi put on a mask of mock affront and feigned innocence.  
“Would I do such a thing?”  
“Hell yeah!”  
“Without a doubt.”  
“Indeed you would...”  
“Aww... Whatever did I do to deserve such a cruel pack...”  
The mock complaint earned him no sympathy.  
“Tickled us?”  
“Cheeky little...”  
Takeshi grumbled, and the others laughed.  
  


“So, who wants to help out?”  
Takeshi carefully reined his pack in and refocused on the task he had in mind.  
“Being brushed softly with a feather tickles.”  
“Yeah, so does things like ants or other small bugs running on your skin.”  
Suggestions were quickly being tossed into the air.  
“Bugs itch!”  
Kara instantly objected to the description of insects tickling.  
“That's because you had feather lice.”  
“Yeah, those were icky...”  
As a blessed Kara was less prone to parasites and such, but she did occasionally pick up unwanted guests from the local birds, especially the crows, and one time she had come home crawling with feather lice which had resulted in Takeshi and the others rounding up all the local crows and giving them a solid bug treatment.  
They had not been too happy about being captured and restrained, but with Kara's help they did eventually make the connection between being caught and becoming bug free, and after that they voluntarily came by to be treated when the various mites and other parasites became a bother.  
“Kara know... Kara hate bugs...”  
She shivered slightly in an obvious phantom itch.  
“You sure love to eat them though.”  
Hugin teased lightly, which made Kara curse him out in crow, the scolding caws making everyone smile and snicker.  
  


“We should collect a few bugs then so Angel can get a sense for what kind of sensation we mean when we say something tickles.”  
Takeshi's suggestion instantly had the others scrambling to search their little island for all kinds of bugs, but due to the way they used Sanctuary crystals and demon technology there were significantly less insects present and there were none of the harmful pests.  
Many processes like management of decomposing matter and pollination was handled by sanctuary creatures, and special, self pollinating, hybrid plants reducing the need for insects, and also not providing a habitat for common pests and preventing genetic contamination from their hybrid plants.  
But there was plenty enough to give Angel a tickling sample.  
  


“Here, try this one!”  
No one was the least bit surprised when Amber came over with a small millipede curled up in her hand and she expertly convinced the little critter to unfurl and walk across the sensor pad, carefully exploring the unfamiliar surface with its antennae.  
“So, how does that feel?”  
“It's quite amazing, I can feel each of the feet as it moves. But I'm not sure how to describe the sensation.”  
One of the small drones moved closer, making sure to get a good view of the tiny feet moving.  
“Most would find the sensation to be tickling, and a lot of people would feel the urge to shake it off.”  
“Why would I though? It's a perfectly harmless creature, it can't bite me, and as long as I don't squeeze it or otherwise hurt it, or scare it, it won't secrete its defensive compounds.”  
Angel's slight confusion made Takeshi smile  
“There's really no reason to with these, but a lot of people still have a strong urge to do so. It's theorized that it's an evolutionary remnant, a strong reaction to such things increased the survival rates in early humanoids.”  
Amber explained to Angel about the theories behind why some people reacted strongly to things like reptiles, spiders and other _Creepy Crawlies_ , or even developed phobias.  
“Because they would react to the dangerous ones, not just the benign.”  
“Indeed.”  
Takeshi confirmed Angel's statement, though, she didn't really need fact lessons like the one Amber had just given her as she was constantly accessing information relevant to whatever they were doing or talking about, but she had admitted that she liked it when they explained things as it made her feel included, made her feel more real.  
“I don't think I want to show such reactions though.”  
“Then don't, all that will be up to you.”  
“Thanks... For everything...”  
“Don't worry about it sweetie.”  
“Yeah, don't worry about it Sis. You're family.”  
Amber's soft teasing made Angel huff, and bump her shoulder with a drone.  
“We are all looking forward to having you join us in the flesh, so to speak.”  
Moments later Takeshi received a tap of his own, and replied by giving the small drone a flick with a clawed finger that sent it careening across the garden sitting area, angrily flashing its collision warning lights.  
“Yeah, I really want to give my baby sis a real hug.”  
Amber's continued her teasing with a wide smile before they were interrupted by Kara who offered Angel one of her molted feathers to continue the sensation experiment.  
“Thank you Kara.”  
  


Angel had access to vast amounts of information via the Global Network, she could get into any connected computer in the world, but as much data as there was on translating sensory data for brain interfaces for artificial limbs, there was no data on actually translating it into the associated sensations, that relied on the experience of the subject's brain.  
The sensors could tell the brain that something was lightly touching the artificial limb, but the brain had to know to interpret that particular type of touch as tickling.  
Pain was easy though, all that required was to set thresholds for pressure and temperature, or damage to the limb, and send impulses to the areas of the brain responsible for responding to pain.  
Similar patches could be used to stimulate the pleasure center of the brain, but there was little knowledge of triggering specific sensations apart from pain and pleasure, but hopefully the work on Angel's body would allow Mandrake to change that, something that Dr Reed had been very eager to work with from the start.  
  


Takeshi watched as one of Angel's drones grabbed the small feather and took off down to her personal workshop area in one of the sublevels while Julia placed a few ants she had caught onto the sensor pad.  
Knowing that the others would keep bringing in things for Angel to feel he turned his attention to the other task he had headed out for.  
  


“Ylian, Hugin, Munin, I have a bit of query for you guys.”  
“Oh?”  
“Go on.”  
“Ask away.”  
“I have been working a bit on preparing a bungalow for Iðunn and Eir, and I understand if it's outside of your purview but I was wondering if you know of a demon realm wood similar to Emberwood that goes in yellows or golds rather than reds.”  
“Not that I know off.”  
Hugin quickly ducked out as it was not his kind of thing.  
“I'm afraid I'm with my dear brother, I can't think of anything like it, Emberwood is quite unique, even in the demon realm.”  
“Our sweet little ravens are right. I have heard stories of such wood, but I have never seen it. But there is a stone similar to your marble that might fit the description.”  
“Oh? I have never heard of such a thing.”  
Munin was instantly curious.  
“It's rare, there is only one known deposit.”  
“Deposit of what?”  
Takeshi echoed Munin's curiosity.  
“There is a rare form of fire crystal that has impurities in the form of crystalline gold.”  
“Yeah, I have heard of those, never actually seen one though. They are supposed to look like gold and have a gentle glow like a fire crystal, but without generating any heat.”  
Hugin hummed as Ylian spoke.  
“They do, and there is one deposit where the substance is found abundantly as an impurity in black Starstone...”  
“That sounds very expensive...”  
  


What Ylian called _Starstone_, was a mineral similar to what was commonly called _Black Galaxy Granite_ in the human realm, it had a deep, shiny, black base with specks of silver or gold, the difference was that the human realm version was merely glittering by reflecting light, the demonic Starstone actually emitted small amounts of light making it looks like a star-strewn night sky even in total darkness.  
  


“Priceless, but I think I can convince Father to part with a few slabs, after all, the sole deposit is within his domains, and with what I was thinking we won't need much.”  
Takeshi just nodded for Ylian to continue.  
“Angel, do you think you could give me a hand to try to show what I have in mind?”  
“Of course Ylian.”  
“First we need to generate an image of this material I have in mind... Take, you have seen Starstone, right?”  
“I have.”  
“Is there anything in the human realm we can use as a base to work from?”  
“Mhm.”  
Takeshi adjusted his seat slightly, then started giving Angel instructions.  
“Would you give me a projection of a 1 by 3 meter high quality Black Galaxy Granite slab please?”  
“Of course.”  
“Now make the light specks emit light, like sparkling stars.”  
The projection quickly changed to reflect Takeshi's request.  
“Like this?”  
“That's perfect, looks just like high quality Starstone.”  
Ylian was quick to compliment the projection.  
“Thank you. Anything else I can help with?”  
Angel's voice carried a distinct happiness and Takeshi drew back slightly, letting her have the scene.  
“We need to add the inclusion of the golden fire crystal. It looks quite similar to marble.”  
“Something like this?”  
A second projection came to live showing a slab of black and gold marble the same size as the first piece.  
  


“Yeah, something like that. Can you make the gold parts glow and flicker like fire?”  
“Would this be acceptable?”  
Angel quickly adjusted the new projection to follow Ylian's instructions.  
“That's really good. You can move the gold pattern from the new projection onto the previous one, right?”  
“Easily.”  
The two projections quickly merged, creating a single projection of glittering black with glowing gold marbling.  
“That's perfect!”  
“That's pretty amazing...”  
“Beautiful...”  
Everyone was quick to agree that the suggested material was quite beautiful.  
“Unfortunately it's not suitable for the live edge style, but I have an idea to solve that.”  
Ylian quickly continued before anyone had a chance to sidetrack them.  
“Angel, would you start by thinning those slabs down to 1 centimeter please?”  
“Got it.”  
“Now display a slab of live edge wood. Something dark and subtle in color, and large enough to be able to make a cutout into the wood and place the stone slabs we just made into it.”  
“You want to make the stone an inlay into a live edge table top?”  
“I guess that might be an apt description.”  
Angel quickly displayed a large slab of wood, then overlaid the stone slab onto it so that the live edge formed a frame around the stone.  
  


“Maybe we should cut one of the long edges straight so that it can be placed snug against a wall like a normal desk?”  
Emelie offered her own suggestion for making a desk out of the proposed materials.  
“Okay.”  
Angel quickly followed the instructions, then hesitated and displayed the cut away piece of wood and added a joint system that would allow the removed cut to be reattached to form a freestanding desk.  
“Good thinking Angel.”  
“Maybe we should have pieces made so we can make one of those fancy workstations with shelves for screens and storage above the screens?”  
“Yeah, like that black IKEA thing Mats uses as his design station.”  
Sarah and Maria added their own ideas and soon they had a modular design that would allow them to add or remove pieces from the basic stone slab to create a fairly wide selection of looks and features.  
“I have a feeling our newest twins will love their desks.”  
Emelie smiled happily at the end result.  
“Assuming we can get it done in time, or even at all...”  
Takeshi was as he was prone to, somewhat hesitant about celebrating until he had his hands on the new desks.  
“Oh don't be such a pessimist. I can have those stone slabs here within a week. And the wood parts shouldn't take much longer to find.”  
Ylian however was highly confident in their ability to secure the promised materials.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2058_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Are you guys ready to go?”  
Ylian was leaning against the door frame leading into Takeshi's study, smiling at the way he was scurrying about trying to make sure they had all the boxes with gifts for Iðunn and Eir.  
Hiroto already looked the part of a pack animal, precariously balancing a large pile of boxes, even using his wings to keep them from falling or toppling over.  
“Why don't you wipe that smile off your face and give us a hand instead?”  
“Yes Alpha.”  
Ylian sauntered over, still smiling widely, and used their ability to control shadows to send the wrapped up boxes to the cargo hold of the Blackout.  
“Phew, thank you Ylian.”  
Hiroto breathed a sigh of relief and allowed his wings to return to his soul, still not entirely comfortable with showing them, much less their true form.  
“Sometimes our dear Alpha can be such an airhead.”  
“No kidding.”  
The teasing exchange about Takeshi's tendency to forget about his access to shadow abilities earned them quite a bit of grumbling.  
  


“Is it just me or have you bought more gifts than usual for their birthday?”  
Ylian effortlessly changed the subject, by totally ignoring their alpha's complaints.  
“Yeah, I have. Not only is it their sweet 16, I'm also a month late with celebrating them.”  
“You humans are such odd creatures sometimes. Besides, I thought 18 was the big milestone in Sweden?”  
“It is, along with 20, but who cares, I just want my girls to have a blast.”  
“I'm sure they will love their gift, and they always enjoy having you visit them.”  
“...”  
Takeshi's silence, and soft sigh made Ylian wrap themselves around him.  
“Enough Alpha. You worry too much.”  
“Oh stuff it...”  
Takeshi huffed and grumbled, but he smiled as they came out into the garden.  
“You guys have a nice week now.”  
Everyone scurried over to say their goodbyes.  
“We will.”  
“Don't worry, I will make sure our insane Alpha and his harebrained simoro behave.”  
Ylian quipped, making Takeshi grumble even more, the smile grew wider though.  
The pack had just given their official permission for Takeshi to proceed to court and mate Hiroto, though they had placed a condition that they court for no less than one year.  
“Hiro, you make sure to allow Roto some time to rise fully.”  
“I will Alpha, I promise.”  
Hiroto bowed slightly to Emelie and promised to allow his youma plenty of time in control of their shared self.  
  


Takeshi, Hiroto and Ylian were headed to Sweden to spend _Sportlovet _with Saga and the twins, it was a one week long school vacation in February that was customarily spend enjoying various winter sports, but Takeshi had made other arrangements.  
As Iðunn and Eir had just turned 16 they were now the legal age to begin taking lessons for their drivers license, and he had arranged for a one week intensive course that would give them their motorcycle license if they passed it.  
It was only for motorcycles with a limited engine effect though, equivalent to a 125cc combustion engine and they would have to wait until 18 to get a full Swedish license for cars, or higher power motorcycles.  
The bikes he was also giving them were quite a bit more powerful though, but Angel could control their performance so that no one would notice, the extra power acting like a safety buffer in case they came to need it.  
They would each receive an ADV bike similar to the ones the others had as well as a 4-wheel ATV which was better suited for riding during Swedish winter conditions.  
It hadn't been all that easy to arrange the course as motorcycles were mostly driven in the summer so no courses were being held in the winter, but like with most of the world, a sufficiently large sum of money made almost anything available.  
A generous fee had convinced one of the city's driving schools to arrange a private course for them.  
  


“Angel, has the car and trailer arrived yet?”  
Takeshi had sent one of the cargo planes ahead with a suitable car and trailer, as well as the majority of the gifts.  
“Yes, the SA-CTXL-002 landed 1 hour ago and is currently being unloaded, everything will be ready and waiting for you once SA-TTBO-001 has landed.”  
“Angel, please, skip the registration numbers and just go with type. I know you have cooked up a nice new Hawaiian aircraft registration system, but save that for the authorities.”  
With Hawaii's independence they had added their own aircraft registry, and their own identification numbers, a normal Hawaii registered craft would receive a HW prefix, a 4 letter type identification and a 3 digit serial number to distinguish between multiple crafts of the same type if needed.  
Two more prefixes had been registered as well, SA, _Shamarai Air,_ for their private aircrafts and MD for the Mandrake fleet.  
  


SA-CTXL-002 was the second of the two cargo configured 747's and based on Angel's system it's full registration was _Shamarai Air-Cargo Transport eXtra Large_ with the serial number 002 to distinguish it from it's sister craft.  
The passenger version of the 747's had been given the identification code SA-PTFL-001, the PTFL standing for _Passenger Transport Flying Limousine_, and the SA-TTBO-001 was _Tactical Transport BlackOut, _the choice of codes had caused quite a bit of laughing, especially the FL code for the more luxurious passenger crafts.  
  


“And before you ask, yes, I made sure both the car and trailer is fitted with the new version of the variable winter tires. The gifts for Iðunn and Eir have been fitted with the same tires, and I added spares for Saga's car as well.”  
Based on the research they had done when making tires for the R35 they had designed a shape memory alloy tire similar to the ones used by NASA for their Mars rovers, the mesh design would allow them excellent grip on snow and ice as well, and they had internal spikes that could be extended when needed for even more grip.  
“Thank you sweetie.”  
“What car are we taking?”  
There was a hint of an amused sigh in the garden when Hiroto asked about what they would be driving in Gothenburg, the tengu did love his cars.  
“Hiro please, get in the plane so we can take off or we will be late, I will give you all the details you want during the flight.”  
Angel huffed and tried to corral her wayward passengers to the Blackout, they were already 10 minutes behind the schedule she had drawn up for the trip.  
When there was still no sign of them moving she deployed 3 of her small drones and gave each of them a powerful jolt of electricity, not caring in the least that she gave Dan a good one as well as he was currently giving Ylian a very long kiss goodbye.  
“Ow... Angel, why did you have to zap me too?”  
“You are delaying my passenger.”  
“I think you guys better get going before she decides it's more efficient to just knock you out and load you as cargo...”  
Emelie teased with a smile.  
“Oh, believe me, I would have already had I not been prohibited from doing so by the Beta registry.”  
Emelie instantly gained a somewhat evil glint in her eye that instantly had the 3 passengers scrambling to get to the Blackout as fast as they could, before she gave Angel permission to disregard the Beta registry.  
  


“Would she really have allowed Angel to ignore the rules and knock us out?”  
Hiroto sounded somewhat disbelieving.  
“Oh yeah, she definitely would have.”  
“Mhm, my little mate can be pure evil sometimes.”  
“Oh shush, it's not like it would really harm you.”  
Angel scoffed at them before making a somewhat rough takeoff that sent Ylian tumbling as they hadn't strapped in yet.  
“Angel, be nice.”  
Ylian complained softly while getting back to their seat.  
“Not until we are back on schedule.”  
“Can I at least get that vehicle data you mentioned?”  
Hiroto's question, and slight pout made Angel huff and bring up a display for him.  
“It's a 10 passenger limousine based on the 2053 Ford Super Explorer.”  
“Oh, an excellent choice. The 53 had a seriously aggressive look. I actually considered picking one up to do some modding on.”  
Hiroto quickly began flipping through the images and data about the modified SUV that would be their ride for the week.

“I do have a few extra if you would like one to play around with.”  
Takeshi quickly offered to give Hiroto one of the spare cars.  
“Let me guess, you had similar plans but haven't found the time or motivation to get it done?”  
“Now what makes you think that?”  
“I know you...”  
The friendly bickering made Ylian smile and bring a game up on the screen, leaving the pair to their car talk as they didn't have much interest in it.  
“Angel, would you care to join me for a game? I find the AI's used for these games offer very little resistance.”  
“Of course Ylian. What would you like to play?”  
“Would you be willing to teach me that game Take always plays with Jackal?”  
“Go, an excellent choice. A moment to learn, a lifetime to master.”  
“Ah, Go was the name, thank you Angel.”  
A board instantly came to life in front of Ylian and soon Angel was giving him basic lessons about how the game was played, though they had been paying attention when Takeshi and Jackal played so they had a fair understanding of how it worked.  
  


“Oh, Go.”  
It was a good hour later that Takeshi and Hiroto were finally done talking cars and noticed what Ylian was doing, and Hiroto gained a somewhat longing look as he watched the game.  
“Take, would you be willing to play Roto for a bit?”  
“Of course. Angel, could you give us a board too please?”  
“Of course.”  
The board instantly came to life and they began playing as well.  
“It feels odd not to have the stones in my hand...”  
The youma's soft complaint made Takeshi smile, and bring out one of the custom made magnetic boards he had made for the twins, he had made it to feel as close as possible to the real thing, while giving the safety of stones that didn't move if the board was disturbed.  
“Then how about we use this instead?”  
His opponent instantly lit up like a sun and soon he was praising the quality of the board and stones.  
  



	2. Expecting Twins

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Expecting Twins_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Excuse me, but we will be landing in Gothenburg in about 30 minutes so you might want to stop screwing around and get decent. Remember, Iðunn and Eir have a friend from school with them.”  
Angel's reminder that they would be landing soon triggered quite a bit of complaining as her passengers were quite literately _Screwing Around_, the games of Go had turned into some rather interesting bets, and those had eventually turned to sex as Takeshi and Ylian had teased Roto to the edge of the poor creature's control.  
  


“Roto, do you think you can remain calm while we meet the girls and their friend?”  
Takeshi gently ran his fingers through Hiroto's hair as the youma tried to calm down.  
“No, I will recede and let our more controlled self be in charge.”  
”Okay. But keep in mind that they will want to say hello to you too once you feel more in control of yourself.”  
Moments later the aura shifted slightly and gained the slightly sharper edge that told them Hiro was once again the one in control.  
“Feeling okay there Hiro?”  
“Yeah, I'm fine. There is almost no strain at all anymore to trade places with Roto.”  
“That's good.”  
  


“Daddy!”  
They had barely set the Blackout down before Iðunn and Eir charged the stealth craft and by the time the door opened and Takeshi managed to get to the ground he found himself tackled by a pair of very happy girls.  
_“Va! Är det där eran farsa?!”_  
The question in Swedish was heavy with disbelief as the friend they had brought along didn't believe that Takeshi could really be their father.  
“Mhm.”  
“Dad, this is Linnéa, but everyone just calls her Linn.”  
“Hello Linn, I'm Takeshi Kiryu, but everyone just calls me Take.”  
He offered his hand to Linnéa with a smile and she shook it with a slight blush.  
“I'm Ylian Imora.”  
Ylian offered their hand as well and Linnéa shook it in greeting, Hiroto however only stepped up and offered a bow and Takeshi could tell that Roto was giving him some trouble.  
It would seem Linnéa was old enough to set the youma on edge, but such reactions were expected and they were quite used to it.  
“I am Yamahana Hiroto, but you can call me Hiro.”  
“Um, Hiro, remember, we use given name then surname.”  
Iðunn reminded him of how Swedish people usually introduced themselves.  
“Ah, sorry. Hiroto is my given name.”  
  


Takeshi couldn't help smiling at the name Hiroto had chosen, _Yamahana_, Mountain Flower, it was a name usually used by banished tengu, signifying that while they were still children of the mountains, they held no more value in the eyes of their kin than a common flower on the ground.  
For them though it signified Hiroto turning his back on the Tengu Elders and their orders, and Hiroto wore it like a badge of honor.  
  


“Hiro won't shake your hand because he has some pretty strict ideas about what is appropriate behavior when in a relationship.”  
Eir quickly gave Linnéa an explanation to why Hiroto didn't shake her hand.  
“Yeah, you'll notice he will be really strict about not touching people who aren't family and are old enough to be a potential partner.”  
“At least without my partner's okay.”  
“Hiro, what have I said about worrying about those things?”  
Takeshi took the opportunity to see how Linnéa would react to seeing two males being intimate so he gently chastised Hiroto while leaning in and giving him a soft kiss.  
“I know...”  
Hiroto returned the kiss, but wasn't entirely ready to give up about defending his youma's refusal to touch Linnéa.  
“But it will take time. You know how strict our ways can be...”  
“I know love, I know.”  
During their little display Takeshi had kept a close eye on Linnéa to see how she reacted and so far all he could sense was surprise and a touch of concern.  
  


“So Take and Hiro are..?  
“A couple, yeah.”  
Iðunn confirmed and Linnéa instantly turned to look at Saga.  
“And you're okay with your ex bringing his new partner here?”  
“Well, Take and I were never a couple. We slept together to try to get me pregnant, which obviously worked.”  
For a moment Linnéa looked at them in shocked silence, then she broke into a teasing smile.  
“So a sperm donor with the added benefit of having a bit of fun in bed?”  
“Indeed.”  
Takeshi agreed in a diplomatic tone.  
“Oh, not just a bit of fun, it was lots and lots of awesome sex.”  
Saga quipped back at Linnéa, well aware of her personality.  
  


“Introductions aren't quite over yet.”  
With a sharp whistle Takeshi called for Yami and Sora who had waited in the blackout and they quickly came out, Sora comfortably perched on the handle of Yami's modified service dog harness.  
“This is Yami, and Sora.”  
“Wow, you have a pet raven?”  
“Nah, Sora is a Japanese crow hybrid, and she's Hiro's. Yami however is mine.”  
“Is he like Fenrir.?”  
“Mostly, they are both wolf hybrids, but Yami is a different mix.”  
“Cool, and you trained him to be a service dog?”  
“Yeah, that way we can bring him into stores and restaurants. He usually just wears an Emotional Support Animal vest like the one Fenrir has, but this harness has the added benefit of working as a perch for Sora. And Sora is also a certified ESA.”  
“Cool.”  
“Sora, why don't you say hello to Linn?”  
“Hello, hello.”  
“Oh, she talks... Hello Sora.”  
Yami, who didn't want to be outdone by the cheeky hanyou voiced a soft whuff and poked his nose into Linnéa's side.  
“Yeah yeah, hello to you too.”  
“Come on, let's head to the hangar, all of our luggage and the gifts have already been sent here and is waiting for us, along with a more suitable car.”  
“Okay.”  
Moments later everyone headed toward the hangar, with Yami and Sora taking the lead as they were somewhat bored after the flight and wanted to stretch out a bit.  
  


The earlier teasing back and forth quickly picked back up as they walked toward the hangar and Takeshi listened closely, noting that Linnéa took care to speak English even when she spoke to Saga and the girls.  
“You know, I never suspected you liked your guys extra young...”  
The teasing quip made Saga blush slightly, but she never got the chance to reply as Takeshi beat her to it.  
“Oh, I'm quite a bit older than I look.”  
He didn't hesitate to jump in when offered an opportunity.  
“Really? So how old are you?”  
“Old enough to be your father, we all are.”  
Iðunn and Eir had begged him to let Linnéa know the truth as she was their best friend and closest confidant and he had agreed to test her and so far he didn't feel anything that would make him refuse.  
“No way! Ylian can't be more than like 20, and Hiro doesn't look a day over 25, neither do you...”  
“We have good genes.”  
“Bull..!”  
Linnéa made it quite clear she didn't believe him, but at the same time he could tell that behind the surface of teasing humor she was conflicted, part of her could sense the truth in his words, while another part told her it was impossible.  
  


“Sweet ride!”  
Linnéa's somewhat slack jawed look when the hangar doors opened and revealed the limousine and covered trailer earned her a few teasing quips.  
“Too bad someone has to drive the car back to your place.”  
“Don't worry Miss Lund, I will be navigating Saga's car back to the house.”  
_“Va? Vem?!”_  
The total confusion when Angel spoke up had everyone laughing and teasing Linnéa.  
“That was Dad's AI, Angel.”  
“Go on Angel, introduce yourself.”  
“Of course.”  
Angel quickly introduced herself while they got into the limousine and before long they pulled up outside the BBQ restaurant where they would enjoy a nice, fancy dinner before heading back to the house.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Expecting Twins_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


After a quick word with the hostess they were guided toward the back, and a small private room where no one would be bothered by Yami and Sora being there.  
“We will have four of my usual selection please.”  
Takeshi quickly ordered for himself, Ylian and Hiroto, and added an extra serving to be shared with Yami and Sora, as well as offer samples for the others to try.  
“Four Kiryu special.”  
The waitress gave him a bit of a crooked smile as she knew just how much food was involved before turning to the others.  
“Anything else?”  
He quickly added a long list of starters as well which had Linnéa looking very wide eyed.  
  


“Go ahead, just order anything you want.”  
When Takeshi noticed that Linnéa was looking at the prices for the various foods he took the menu from her and did what he had done with Emelie, folded the paper insert so that she couldn't see the prices.  
“There will be no checking of prices when I'm paying. Is that clear?”  
“Uh... Okay...”  
“I'm serious.”  
“Okay, okay, I got it...”  
“And you should pick some starters as well, it will take a bit longer than usual for our food to be ready.”  
“Okay...”  
She gave the menu another glance then set it aside.  
_“Jag tar en vitlöksräkor, och en laxtallrik. Sen Oxfilé planka med extra rostad grön sparris och grillad tomat.”_  
Takeshi smiled to himself as she ordered a plate of garlic shrimp and a salmon platter as starters, then a grilled tenderloin plank with extra grilled green asparagus and tomatoes on the side, and when she indicated she was done the waitress asked if she wanted any dessert.  
_“Någon efterrätt?”  
“Hmm, jag tror jag testar en Baked Alaska.”  
“Dryck?”_  
Takeshi only listened with half an ear as she ordered what she wanted to drink, then Saga and the girls ordered their food, which was large servings of meat and a long list of starters for them to share.

“You're gonna look like beach balls if you keep eating like that...”  
Linnéa was mercilessly teasing Iðunn and Eir as they dug in on their food.  
“Oh shut up.”  
“This is our birthday dinner, were allowed gorge ourselves for that!”  
“Besides, last week you were complaining we were too skinny...”  
The entire meal was accompanied with friendly bickering, and mock battles over choice pieces from the large plates of meat that Takeshi had ordered.  
“Yeah, but seriously, where do you put it all?”  
“Ask Dad, we got it from him.”  
“Well, at least he's a pretty big guy...”  
The way Linnéa looked at Takeshi made it quite clear she was still wondering where the hell he put all the food he was eating.

“Oh, are you done with your food already?”  
Takeshi had been watching Linnéa pick at her food for a while before speaking up.  
“Yeah, I need to leave some room for dessert.”  
He had a feeling that wasn't the entire truth, he had noticed that Linnéa was somewhat self-conscious about her weight and there was a high probability that she was subconsciously holding back, not wanting to feed into the common stereotypes of overweight people.  
The prevailing opinion about overweight was unfortunately still that the cause was laziness and gluttony, her scent however told him she had significant hormonal imbalances, ones that should be medicated, but as far as he could tell they were either not medicated at all, or severely under-medicated.  
“Mind if I?”  
He reached out slightly toward the plate and she quickly pushed it over to him with a smile and a shake of her head.  
“Not all.”  
_“Itadakimasu.”_  
The crooked look he received when quickly polishing off what remained of Linnéa's food had everyone laughing and before long dessert was brought out and it quickly vanished as well.

“How about we head home, or is there anywhere you want to stop by first?”  
It was still fairly early and most stores were still open so Takeshi suspected they might want to do a bit of shopping before heading home.  
“Can we go buy some snacks and sweets?”  
Takeshi instantly groaned, Iðunn and Eir had an insane sweet tooth that even the twins didn't come close to.  
“Okay, where do you want to go?”  
“Nordstan, they have all the stores we need.”  
“Okay. Angel, would try to see if you can secure us some indoor parking please?”  
It wasn't entirely uncommon for parking garages like the one at Nordstan to be unable to accommodate limousines due to their length, a standard parking space was 5 meters long so they needed 2 slots head to head without a divider to be able to fit.  
The trailer could just be placed in it's own space so they didn't need to worry about that.

“Of course. My data indicate there are locations within the Nordstan garage where we can fit, if they are open. I'll launch a few drones just to be on the safe side.”  
“Okay, and please, give me a security update as well...”  
“Of course.”  
Takeshi hadn't spent much time there, but he had visited when he first came to Sweden to meet Emelie, and back then Nordstan had not been a very nice place, overrun with less than savory people is had been a cesspool of all kinds of scum, from drug dealers to muggers who didn't hesitate to brutally beat their victims, or use weapons.  
There had also been systematic sexual harassment ranging from persistent lewd comments, to large groups of young men surrounding and groping women, there had also been a high rate of assault and rape in the area.

“Don't worry Take, they really cleaned the place up since Em and I were teens. Nowadays it's nice and safe.”  
“So I have heard, but I will still make sure.”  
“Of course you will. You're a real worrywart.”  
“How was it back when you were our age?”  
Iðunn's question made Saga sigh and give Takeshi a look that told him she would leave it up to him to explain.  
“Well... Let's just say it was not the kind of place where young, white, women would go alone, or even in small groups, if they valued their safety.”  
“Oh...”  
He could tell that they wanted to ask more questions, but after a few moments they clearly thought better of it and got into the car instead and before long they found themselves in a large candy store displaying entire walls of containers with candies sold by weight.

“Linn, you make sure to pick out a nice selection of your favorites as well. And don't worry, I'm paying. Anything less wouldn't be fair to you. Make sure to pick enough for several days.”  
Takeshi noticed that Linnéa was being very selective, and frequently weighing her small bag with candy to see how much she had bought while Iðunn and Eir had picked several large bags and were filling them up by the scoop full.  
They seemed to be separating them by type though, chocolate in one bag, salty candies in one, sour pieces in another and Iðunn was currently stuffing a huge bag full of some kind of fruit jelly candies.  
“Okay...”  
Linnéa's sigh before picking a larger bag and starting to fill it up made Takeshi smile before turning his attention to Hiroto as he could feel that he had allowed Roto to rise.  
“Oh my...”  
The youma was doing a very impressive version of the proverbial _Kid in a Candy store.  
_

“That looks like it might not have been the best idea.”  
Ylian snickered as the eager youma filled bag after bag with candies and then began piling up boxes, bars and bags all over the desk as fast as the poor clerk could register it and pack it away.  
“Probably not, but we can let him have some fun.”  
Takeshi allowed Roto to shop around for a while before intervening and distracting him a bit.  
“Roto, even a youkai will get sick from that amount of sweets...”  
“I went overboard, didn't I?”  
There was a hint of shame in his aura as Takeshi's words made him pause and see how much he had actually picked.  
“A bit...”  
Takeshi agreed with a smile before giving him a soft kiss.  
“Don't worry, I'm sure the girls will be more than happy to help you eat it.”  
“Okay...”  
“Come on, let's pay, go get the rest of the stuff, then head back to the house.”  
“Okay.”  
Roto instantly perked up at the mention of going to more stores which made Takeshi huff at him, but he was happy that Roto had chosen to rise and experience shopping with them.  
Roto's rather insane shopping did have a distinct benefit though, it took attention away from Linnéa and she seemed to become more comfortable picking as much as she wanted without worrying about appearances.

After a quick detour back down to the parking garage to stuff everything into the trailer, while making Saga and the girls wait in one of the sitting areas, they headed to a store that carried a wide range of salty snacks, including things like popcorn, jerky, chips, and a snack similar to prawn crackers, but in a wide range of flavors.  
You could buy them warm in the store, or you could buy the tiny, raw pieces and cook them yourself in hot oil to make them puff up into large, crispy, snacks.  
The store was much more to Takeshi's taste and he purchased quite a selection of the savory treats they offered and soon they had added a few cases of mixed sodas as well and had picked up some hot drinks before heading back down to the limousine.  
Takeshi was having a hard time keeping a straight face though as Linnéa was clearly confused by the change in Hiroto's behavior now that Roto was dominant.  
And knowing the youma as he did he knew that Linnéa's curiosity and attention to Roto would make the curious creature focus back on her, and probably do something to get a reaction out of her.  
They had already agreed though that if Roto revealed himself they would give Linnéa a basic explanation.

“Hiro!”  
Linnéa shrieked when her cup of chai latte vanished from her hands and Hiroto took a sip from it to sample the taste.  
“Oh, that's Roto, not Hiro.”  
Iðunn quickly corrected Linnéa which earned her a very confused look.  
“What?”  
“Haven't you noticed Hiroto is acting very different now?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Well, he has a split personality.”  
“Seriously?”  
“Yeah, seriously.”  
“Dad is better at explaining though.”  
Linnéa instantly turned to Takeshi who gave her a soft nod before starting to explain.

“_Hiroto_ is the fusion of two distinct personalities, Hiro, and Roto. And as you have noticed their personalities are quite different. Hiro is calm and controlled, he thinks before he acts and mostly behaves in a mature manner, he is also the personality that is usually in control.”  
“And, the other personality?”  
“Roto.”  
Takeshi supplied before moving on.  
“Roto as you have already noticed can be somewhat childish in his demeanor, he's impulsive and tends to act before thinking, he can be quite rash, and he tends to react violently if threatened, and he is much easier to provoke.”  
The somewhat worried look on her face and the way she pulled back slightly made Takeshi smile and shake his head.  
“Don't worry Hiroto is a very kind person, and while Roto is easier to provoke, and more prone to lashing out, he's not mean. Also, even now, with Roto being dominant, Hiro can exert an influence over him, or even force him back and take over if Roto's impulsiveness is about to get them in trouble, or hurt someone.”  
The mention of accidentally hurting someone due to his impulsiveness instantly had Roto moving over and offering the cup back to Linnéa with shoulders slumped in shame but she was too focused on what Takeshi was saying to notice him.  
“In essence you can see Hiro as a fully mature adult, while Roto is more like a child, but with adult skills, intelligence and desires. ”  
“Oh...”  
Takeshi could feel Roto growing increasingly distraught as Linnéa didn't acknowledge his apology, or take back her cup, unintentionally punishing him the youkai way.

“I think you better take the cup back and acknowledge his apology before he starts crying.”  
He kept his tone slightly teasing  
“Oh, sorry Hi... Eh Roto..? I didn't mean to ignore you.”  
“_Gomen_, I was out of line... Wasn't I?”  
Roto ducked his head slightly and offered the cup again and this time she took it with a slight nod and a smile.  
“A little perhaps. I would have been more than happy to let you have a sip if you had asked.”  
“Sorry...”  
“It's okay. From watching you guys eat I guess you're used to doing stuff like that, aren't you?”  
“He definitely is, most our meals tend to be barely restrained chaos, and a lot of mock fighting over our favorite pieces.”  
Urged by instincts triggered by Hiroto's distress Takeshi stepped up and spoke in his defense, even if just slightly.  
“And with his lack of impulse control, Roto doesn't stop to consider that others might react badly.”  
“Precisely.”  
She quickly turned to Hiroto and gave his hand a gentle pat.  
“It's okay, I understand you didn't mean to be mean or anything like that.”  
_“Yokatta...”_  
The way Linnéa smiled made it quite clear she understood the Japanese expression, in this case, signaling relief.

“You speak Japanese?”  
Takeshi was instantly curious, he rarely got the opportunity to speak Japanese, even his private conversations with Kasumi and Eriko were usually mostly English.  
“Just a little, I understand it pretty well from all the anime I have been watching, but I probably sound like an idiot when I try to speak it.”  
_“Well, if you want to we can listen and give you a few pointers.”_  
Takeshi switched to Japanese and after a few moments Linnéa agreed to let him and Hiroto help her improve her Japanese.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Expecting Twins_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


By the time they arrived back at the house everyone was practicing their Japanese and soon they found themselves getting comfortable in the den, though Linnéa did blush quite vividly when Takeshi, Ylian and Hiroto all curled up together in one of the piles on the floor.  
“Isn't it complicated to have two partners?”  
“Not really, not if everyone is okay with it. But I do have a lot more than two.”  
“Seriously?”  
“Mhm...”  
Takeshi began explaining a bit about their family, carefully testing her reactions to the information and as far as he could tell there were no negative reactions, which was promising as Iðunn and Eir wanted her to know the truth.  
“Sounds like a pretty amazing family.”  
“They are, I'm truly fortunate to have them.”  
“What about your parents? Any siblings?”  
Takeshi did hesitate for a moment as he had been told about Linnéa's recent misfortune, her parents, brother and grandparents had all died when the boat they were out on capsized during a storm, leaving an elderly great aunt as her only living relative.  
Linnéa had survived because she had been at an extended school trip that week so she was not on the boat, and the aunt was somewhat eccentric and had been estranged from the rest of the family for a long time.  
A major difference from his own history though was that Linnéa's aunt had fought tooth and nail to get custody over her and not let her be placed into a family of strangers and being 16 at the time Linnéa had been allowed a say in it as well.  
As a result of the trauma, and the rather long move to Gothenburg, she had been forced to retake the 9th  grade and thanks to that she was now in the same class a Iðunn and Eir.

“My real parents dies in a crash on the way home from the hospital a few days after my birth, but I managed to survive, and **my** great aunt had no interest in raising a child so she was more than willing to adopt me away for a financial compensation.”  
“She sold you!?”  
“Pretty much.”  
“How horrible!”  
“Perhaps, but it was also fortunate as it allowed me to be adopted and raised by Daisuke and Misato Kiryu. It gave me a sister of sorts in their great granddaughter Kasumi. She too had lost most of her family to an accident so they were raising her as their own.”  
“I guess... My _Tant Sol_ was more than happy to fight for me even if the rest of the family had shunned her, I didn't even know I had a great aunt until after the accident...”  
“Oh, your aunt is named Sol?”  
The name made Takeshi do a double take, he knew that _Tant_ was an old Swedish word for aunt, and Sol meant sun.

“Well, that's one of the reasons why she ended up estranged, her birth name was Elisabet and she changed it to Sol after her favorite book character the day she turned 18.”  
“And the rest of her family didn't approve?”  
“Hell no!”  
Linnéa snorted in amusement.  
“Oh?”  
Takeshi gently prodded her to tell the tale.  
“My parents both come from very devout Christian families, and the character auntie named herself after was a witch, in a book series with witchcraft, demons and lots of sex and other _ungodly_ things. And she didn't just read them despite her parents forbidding it, she even went as far as studying witches and witchcraft, and rather than attending her confirmation she chose to begin studying old Viking paganism and Wiccan practices.”  
“A heathen and a witch, oh the horror...”  
Takeshi couldn't help snorting at the thought of how that much have been received by a family with a strong religious belief.  
“Yeah, they kicked her out and has refused to speak to her since.”  
Linnéa was about to say something else when her phone rang, interrupting the story.  
“Speaking of the Devil, it's auntie. I need to take this or she'll worry.”  
She quickly excused herself and headed upstairs for some privacy.

“_Ingen fara, jag ska vara med tvillingarna hela veckan, deras farsa är här och har fixat en snabbkurs för MC kort åt dom I födelsedagspresent, och dom fixade så jag också får vara med.”_  
The stairs and thin door did very little to mask Linnéa's energetic voice from blessed and demon ears as she spoke about her plans to be with Iðunn and Eir during the week long school vacation, and the fact that she had also been signed up for the driver's license class.  
_“Ja såklart jag har tackat!”_  
She complained as her aunt apparently reminded her to thank them.  
_“Du skulle gilla deras familj, dom lever i ett polyamoröst kollektiv, och dom flesta är mer eller mindre bi.”_  
When the conversation changed direction toward more personal details about how Takeshi and his family lived the group downstairs began exchanging somewhat curious looks, though Hiroto mostly looked confused as he didn't understand the Swedish she was speaking.  
_“Alltså, deras farsa är totalt jävla döläcker. Och snubbarna han har med sig är supersnyggingar dom med.”_  
When she voiced her opinion on the physical appearance of Takeshi, Ylian and Hiroto the silence quickly broke into teasing and snickering.  
“Well, she's right, you **are** drop dead gorgeous.”  
“Mhm, and Ylian and Hiroto are both hotties as well.”  
The open assessment of his looks made Hiroto blush slightly, it wasn't all that unusual in youkai society, but he had been living almost exclusively with humans for the past 40 years and had picked up quite a few of the Japanese cultural quirks.  
“Definitely.”  
_“Sol! Även om jag låg med han så skulle jag inte berätta det för dig ditt pervo!”  
_When Linnéa mentioned sleeping with Takeshi, telling Sol she wouldn't tell her if she did, the mood shifted slightly and Takeshi found himself being the center of attention.

“Dad, **would** you sleep with her?”  
“She seems like a nice girl, and under normal circumstances I wouldn't refuse her if she approached me. But since she is your friend I don't want to rush into anything of the sort.”  
“Well, if you do go there, you need to be extra careful with her.”  
“Yeah, the guys in school are really nasty to her because of her weight.”  
“Mhm, some of the really mean guys in school welcomed her by leading her on, then tell her they would never want someone _fat and ugly_ like her.”  
The information instantly triggered a sharp flare of anger in the gathered auras, and three distinct expressions of anger was heard, Takeshi and Yami were growling, Ylian hissing, and a somewhat odd clicking sound was heard from Hiroto and Sora.  
“Dad, we know you would never do something like that, but she's been through a lot so be careful, okay?”  
“I will.”  
“By the way, have you decided if you'll tell her the truth?”  
“I have, I will. I'm just waiting for a good opening.”  
“Thanks!”  
Iðunn and Eir instantly pounced on him and gave him a pair of crushing hugs and by the time they let go they could hear Linnéa coming back down the stairs.

“Linn, you know, if you want to have a private conversation you might want to keep your voice down a bit.”  
Iðunn teased the moment Linnéa sat down.  
“Oh crap, you heard me?”  
“Mhm, every last word.”  
“Please don't tell anyone anything!”  
“We won't.”  
Iðunn and Eir quickly promised they wouldn't tell anyone what they had heard, and Linnéa quickly turned to Saga, begging her to do the same.  
“I won't, but you should know that Take and Ylian both speak Swedish just fine...”  
“No, no, no... Please..?”  
She turned around and looked at them with a bright blush.  
“Sorry, but yeah, we both speak Swedish just fine.”  
“Crap...”  
“Don't worry, we are all pretty used to people appreciating our looks.”  
Takeshi soothed her softly, trying to keep his usual teasing tone under control.  
“And you are hardly the first young woman to speak of bedding that maniac. I'd say it's a pretty normal reaction.”  
Ylian added with a teasing tone.  
“So you're not upset?”  
“Of course not! Why would I be?”  
The self conscious way she squirmed and made a halfhearted gesture toward her body made Takeshi's protective instincts flare.

“Linn, I couldn't care less about your weight. And I'm pretty sure neither Ylian nor Hiro or Roto care either.”  
Ylian and Hiroto instantly agreed that they didn't care that she was overweight.  
It was quite obvious that Linnéa wasn't convinced though.  
“Linn, had your auntie forgotten about you staying with us this week?”  
“No... I had forgotten to tell her...”  
When Saga interrupted with her question Takeshi was more than happy to allow the topic to drop as it was clearly making Linnéa uncomfortable.  
“I reminded you, twice...”  
Saga scolded gently.  
“I know, you know my memory sucks...”  
Her mention of having bad memory further strengthened Takeshi's conviction that her weight was caused by thyroid problems and he made a mental note to try to get her to allow him to do some tests.  
“I know Linn, that's why I told you to write it down in your phone and set an alarm.”  
“I did, but I was on the phone when the alarm went off...”  
“And by the time you hung up you had forgotten all about it?”  
“Mhm...”  
Saga just sighed and smiled, she was clearly used to Linnéa's bad memory.

“Come on Linn, why don't you join us?”  
Saga patted the empty spot next to her in the pile on the floor.  
“I'm not comfortable sitting on the floor...”  
Takeshi didn't even think before acting, quickly getting up and grabbing an armful of the bedding and tossing it into the large armchair she was sitting in, then moving stuff around until they could all get comfortable with her in the middle, close enough to be casually touching, but without crowding her, making sure she would feel included.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Expecting Twins_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Dad, knock it off!”  
“You too Hiro!”  
They were watching one of the latest movies on the large projector and Takeshi and Hiroto were grumbling and groaning at the highly inaccurate way they were depicting a fight between two katana wielders.  
“But come on...”  
Takeshi mock whined when yet another incredibly stupid, flashy, move was shown.  
“If someone did that against an opponent who knows how to wield a katana they would be dead...”  
Hiroto agreed with him with a distinct pout.  
“You guys know how to use a katana?”  
Linnéa was instantly curious.  
“Of course. Both our families are old with deep rooted traditions. All the children of the Kiryu are required to learn the Kiryu _Bud__ō_ styles, both Kendō, the way of the sword and Kempō, the way of the fist.”  
“My family focuses on the tessen, but I was required to learn the sword, sai and bow as well.”  
Hiroto added a bit about the way of the tengu.  
“Here we go....”  
There was a distinctly amused hint to Iðunn's voice, and moments later the movie was all but forgotten as Linnéa dove in to a million questions about Japanese martial arts and culture.

“Dad, why don't you and Hiro borrow our _Bokut__ō_ and give her a demonstration?”  
“What do you think Hiro?”  
“Okay.”  
Iðunn and Eir quickly ran up to their rooms to fetch their wooden training katana and it didn't take long before they offered Takeshi and Hiroto the dark wooden weapons with a slight bow.  
They accepted the offered weapons and placed them into the obi sash of their pants with practiced ease, they had both changed into the type of _Gi_ that Takeshi favored as soon as they arrived at the house, lightweight and soft the cross between a budo gi and a Tai Chi uniform was easy to move in and comfortable but they still removed the tops, revealing lean muscle and dark ink.  
After a quick roll of the shoulders and a few stretches they faced each other and with a teasing smirk Takeshi offered Hiroto a taunt, they had already agreed on what kata to base their little sparring match on.  
The display was fairly short, and before long Takeshi had Hiroto pinned to the ground with a wooden edge against his throat.

“Wow, that was amazing...”  
When Hiroto nodded his surrender Takeshi put the Bokutō back at his waist before offering Hiroto his hand and pulling him to his feet, and into a tight embrace followed by a searing kiss.  
“And hot...”  
Linnéa sighed and blushed, but didn't look away.  
“Oh, enjoy watching do you?”  
Ylian's teasing question made Linnéa blush slightky.  
“Linn is a total male slash fangirl.”  
Having lived with Takeshi and the others Ylian understood the reference, but Hiroto was utterly confused, unfamiliar with the English term for a rather common Japanese occurrence.  
“She has a thing for _Yaoi_.”  
Takeshi teased lightly, using the Japanese term for homoerotic manga and anime mainly written by women, for women.  
“Oh...”  
For a moment Hiroto didn't show much of a reaction, then he returned the kiss with fervor, giving Linnéa quite a show.  
“You guys are evil...”  
She blushed vividly, but she still refused to look away, instead she leaned over slightly to get a better look.  
“Okay Dad, I think that's enough distracting Linn.”  
“Yeah, we're supposed to be talking, remember?”  
Takeshi gave them both a slight glare for trying to push the issue.

“Talk about what?”  
Linnéa was instantly alert again, curiosity burning in her aura.  
“Remember we told you we're going to go visit Dad in Miami once school is out?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Well, we're not just visiting, the plan is to move there.”  
“Oh...”  
“We will still visit though, and you're welcome to come visit us.”  
“Don't worry, we will pay the tickets.”  
“I kinda suspected you were going to move away, you have been making way too much fuss to be just visiting.”  
“Guess we have...”  
“We wanna tell you why we are moving though.”  
“Other than going to live with your Dad who just happens to be loaded?”  
“Yeah...”  
There was a moment of hesitation from Linnéa then she blurted out a question she had clearly been wanting to ask for some time.

“Is it really true that you own an entire island in Hawaii?”  
The question earned her twin glares as she dared question the truthfulness of Iðunn's and Eir's stories about their father.  
“Well, the island with our Hawaiian home on is formally registered to Em through a trust fund, but I do personally own several smaller islands.”  
“That's crazy...”  
“Linn!”  
“You thought we were lying?!”  
“The tough has crossed my mind...”  
“And still is, isn't it?”  
Takeshi could feel that she was somewhat hesitant about believing him.  
“Yeah...”  
She did look somewhat bothered by admitting she didn't fully trust their word  
“Don't worry about it. It is indeed some pretty crazy stuff we're asking you to believe without any real proof.”  
Linnéa just sighed at him, still not quite ready to just trust them.  
“Anything else you think we have been lying about?”  
Iðunn challenged with a smile.  
“Well, I'm not so sure I believe Take is really old enough to be your Dad. He'd have to be like 35, and he doesn't look more than 25...”  
“That's kinda part of what we need to talk to you about...”  
With a sigh Linnéa settled down in the large armchair, no doubt prepared for a long story.

“As you're kinda starting to figure out, Dad isn't really very normal...”  
“But there's more...”  
There was a long silence as they tried to figure out how to say it.  
“You're the only human in the house...”  
_“Va?”_  
Linnéa looked around in utter and total confusion as Iðunn dropped the proverbial bomb, and not in a way Takeshi would have picked, but if they wanted to do things their own way he would let them, and try to pick up the pieces later.  
When her eyes lingered on Ylian with obvious question they smiled, and abandoned their corporeal form.  
“I'm a shadeling, a shadow demon.”  
Takeshi was prepared for her passing out, but somehow she did manage to stay conscious and shift her gaze toward Hiroto who revealed his true form as well.  
“I'm Karasu Tangu, and Roto is my youma, inner demon.”  
When she looked at Takeshi he gave her a nod and a smile.  
“Shapeshifter, among other things.”  
He then followed up on his words by taking his wolf form as its size was better suited for the available space.  
“Shapeshifter.”  
Saga added softly and shifted as well.  
“So are we.”  
Iðunn and Eir shifted, leaving Linnéa staring at them, then shifting her gaze to Fenrir, Yami and Sora.

“Fenrir is Iðunn and Eir's familiar, a dragonwolf. Yami is a shadow crossbreed, and Sora is a crow hanyou.”  
To prove Ylian's words true Fenrir revealed her wings, and Yami shifted through the shadows.  
“Hello Linn, I'm Sora. It's nice to get to talk to you properly.”  
The way she was staring made Ylian unfurl their aura slightly and let the calm energy fill the room.  
“Easy there Linn. Deep breaths or you will end up passing out.”  
“That kinda sounds like a good idea right now...”  
“Nah, you're a strong girl, you can handle it.”  
“Indeed, you are doing great.”  
Takeshi had returned to his human form and offered his own praise at how she was handling the situation.  
“See, we told you she would be fine.”  
Iðunn and Eir grumbled slightly as Takeshi had scolded them for the way they had told her.

“Linn, are you feeling okay?”  
Takeshi had allowed her a few minutes to collect herself before trying to talk to her any more.  
“Yeah... I guess.”  
“That's good.”  
She was studying his face intently, as if the secrets of the world were somehow hidden there.  
“You look different somehow...”  
The way she ignored the huge bomb they had just dropped on her in favor of focusing on the subtle changes in his appearance almost made Takeshi laugh, but whatever helped her cope was something to encourage.  
“It's probably my eyes, I'm no longer hiding their true appearance.”  
She instantly leaned in closer and took a careful look at his eyes.  
“Wow... They're almost glowing.”  
”I can make them glow if I want to.”  
“Really?”  
“Mhm.”  
He quickly called on his power and allowed it to light up his eyes with an unearthly glow.  
“That's amazing, and you have slit pupils...”  
“And fangs.”  
He quipped and flashed her a smile that showed of his proper set of teeth.  
“Ouch...”  
Moments later her inspection was interrupted as Iðunn and Eir broke down laughing at her somewhat backwards reaction to what they had just told her, showed her.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Expecting Twins_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


By the time they were done with a more in depth show and tell the sun had already risen and Linnéa ended the session by falling asleep where she sat, so Takeshi carefully moved her to more comfortable bedding before letting Saga and the girls know that they would be leaving for a while for their weekly visit to the Obsidian Halls.  
“Okay.”  
“Give everyone a hug from us.”  
“I will.”  
“Have fun.”  
“Oh, I definitely will.”  
Takeshi's teasing tone made Iðunn and Eir blush, while Saga just huffed at him.

After the formation of the bond with Lucifer the old angel had been even more persistent in trying to get Takeshi in his bed as often as possible, and despite the fact that the fracture of Takeshi's soul had healed well he also insisted on giving him a proper massage every time they visited.  
Takeshi didn't really mind though, Lucifer was good fun in bed, and the soul massage had become a pack activity that helped deepen all of their bonds.

“I will try to be back before Linn wakes up, but if I'm not, be gentle with her.”  
“We will.”  
“Don't worry, I'll make sure to talk to her if she wakes up before you're back.”  
Saga assured him she would take care of the girl before giving him a quick kiss, and watch them vanish in the shadows.  
Yami and Sora stayed behind though, more than happy to pester Iðunn and Eir with their antics.

Saga withheld one piece of information from Takeshi, she knew that Linnéa was a poor sleeper and probably would only sleep a few hours before waking up again, but she didn't want him to worry and change his plans, she was also confident she would be able to handle things until he returned.  
True to Saga's personal prediction Linnéa woke up a few hours later and was very confused, but Saga just offered her some breakfast and explain that yes, last night had really happened, and that Takeshi and the others would be back shortly.

Meanwhile in the Obsidian Halls Takeshi was somewhat distracted by his thoughts, and it didn't take long before he brought the matter of Linnéa up with his family, and they all agreed to give her a sample of the power of the blessing by using its power to treat her condition, and offer her a familiar.

When the group stepped out of the shadow in the den they were greeted by a loud shriek as Linnéa nearly jumped into the exposed beams of the ceiling.  
“Ah, I was hoping to return before you woke up.”  
“I don't sleep all that well...”  
Seeing the opportunity Takeshi instantly dove in and made his offer.  
“I might be able to help you with that, and do something about that messed up metabolism of yours.”  
“Really?”  
“Mhm. But it might be a bit tough for you to stomach.”  
“Why?”  
“I would be using my blood to do it, and you would have to consume it, daily.”  
He could of course make a more long term treatment but he wanted to test her a bit, her determination.  
“If it fixes me I can stomach it!”  
“That's the spirit.”  
He walked over to the sofa and sat down next to her.

“To begin I would like to take a sample of your blood, both a regular one to sent to Mandrake to have it analyzed, but also a few drops to taste, part of my power is vampiric, and even as little as a single drop of blood can tell me a lot about a person.”  
“Okay...”  
“Angel, could you inform Professor Miller that Ylian will be dropping by to pick up a collection set for a full profile, all available tests.”  
“Of course.”  
Carolyn Miller hated when people dropped by her lab unannounced so Takeshi always made sure to call ahead, the last thing he wanted to do was to make her uncomfortable as it could take days for her to recover.  
“How about we see if I can't get a taste while we wait for the test kit?”  
“I guess...”  
“Now, with the vampiric power comes something we call the Hunter's Lure, it's a form of seduction that places our victim in a somewhat trance like state where they won't feel any pain from the bite, only pleasure.”  
“So that part of the legends is true?”  
“It is.”  
She instantly turned beet red and began squirming.  
“Don't worry, I can control the potency of the effect, suppress it so that it's just enough to numb the pain.”  
“Thanks.”  
He carefully wove his power around her, then with a gentle nip at her finger he waited for the drop to form before taking it, and sealing the wound with a lick.

The flavor of her blood confirmed his suspicion that her hormone balance was totally out of whack.  
“As I suspected, your hormone levels are extremely unbalanced and treating those should help you feel better.”  
“Will it help my weight?”  
“It will make your metabolism work properly, so it should.”  
While they spoke Takeshi brought out a small grain of Sanctuary crystal and shaped it into a bowl then with a quick slice of a claw he cut into his wrist and filled it with blood.  
After a few moments of consideration he reached within and sought out the Avatar of Life, asking her if she had anything to add to the treatment, and before long two of the grains in his hand changed into vials.  
One with a glowing blue liquid, and one with a silvery powder which he quickly added into the bowl and with a flicker of intent the mixture crystallized into hundreds of small, clear, pills.  
“They look like fancy crystal beads...”  
“Don't worry, people won't be able to see the true appearance of this stuff, they will just see a gel pill with a purple color.”  
“There not actually gel though...”  
She carefully applied some pressure on one of the pills.  
“No, they are crystallized, but they will soften and dissolve in your stomach.”  
“So, how should I take them?”  
“You will take these 3 times a day, and don't worry, I will make sure Angel reminds you when to take them. They will balance your hormones, and repair your gut flora to ensure you can absorb all the vital nutrients from the food.”

He set the container with the pills aside and created another bowl, again filling it to the brim with blood, but this time he didn't add anything more to it, instead he crystallized it to tiny, red, granules.  
“These are to be taken when you eat or drink something, Angel will let you know how many to take depending on what you have consumed, they will boost your digestion and metabolism.”  
Linnéa just stared at the large bowl and nodded silently.  
“Here, you might as well start now.”  
Takeshi poured her a glass of water and instructed her to take one of the purple ones and 5 small red ones.  
“It will take a few days for the full effect to kick in, but you should notice right away that you don't feel bloated anymore. And your energy should improve.”  
“I guess.”  
She took the offered glass and took the suggested dose and before long they were back to talking about everything she had just found out.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Expecting Twins_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


Between the driving lessons and teaching Linnéa about the truth of the world the week passed in a blur, and soon it was Sunday, and time for Takeshi and the others to return home, but first he wanted to make Linnéa an offer.  
“Linn, would you like a familiar of your own? It would let you talk to Iðunn, Eir and Saga without anyone being able to hear you.”  
“You mean like Fenrir?”  
“Mhm. It could be any kind of creature though.”  
“Really! You're not just teasing me are you?”  
The slight hint of hesitation caused a flicker of pain through Takeshi's aura, a flicker that was momentarily replaced with anger at those who had caused her to have such doubts, then he forced the reaction down.  
“Yes really, I would never tease you like that.”  
“I'd love that!”  
The joy that sparked through her aura and scent made everyone in the room smile.  
“But how would I feed it? And I can't just leave it at home all day...”  
“Don't worry, I will supply you with food and anything else you need, and if it becomes a true animal we will have it registered as an emotional support animal, that way you can bring it with you.”  
“Oh, okay.”

After assuring Linnéa that she would be given everything she needed to care for her familiar Takeshi rounded the others up.  
“Everyone ready to take a little trip to Hawaii.”  
“But I have to be home by 8 tonight...”  
Linnéa once again objected.  
“Don't worry, we're taking a shortcut.”  
Holding out his hand for her Takeshi waited patiently for her to take it.

A few minutes later they stepped out of the shadows in the Sanctuary and Linnéa stared at the beauty of the hidden space.  
They waited patiently for the usual ooh's and aah's before bringing her before the soul tree and soon she held a black egg in her hands.  
“An egg means it's either a very large familiar, or one with wings.”  
Takeshi was pretty sure it would be a raven due to how Linnéa loved the large, black, birds.  
He had added some of his own blood to give it a boost, increasing the chances for a true life form rather than a sanctuary construct.  
“A raven?”  
“It might be. You really want it to be so there is a chance your will has affected it.”  
A few minutes later the egg had grown significantly and began to crack, then there was a soft caw, and large black beak appeared, followed by the characteristic head of a raven.  
“Go on, touch him to complete the bond.”  
Linnéa's eyes widened for a moment, then she smiled brightly.  
“Take, this is Hrafn.”  
“Hello Hrafn.”  
“Hello.”  
The raven tilted his head slightly and looked at Takeshi for a moment before turning around to sift through Linnéa's hair with his beak.  
“He's beautiful...”  
“Indeed he is. He's definitely a raven, but with traces of shadow demon in him, much like how Yami is a crossbreed between a mortal wolf and a shadow.”  
Even in the subtle light of the Sanctuary the raven, so aptly named Hrafn, had a distinct blue and purple iridescent sheen to him.  
“He's really big too...”  
“He's quite a bit larger than normal for raven, but that's not uncommon in captive bred birds so no one should think too much of it.”  
“He's gonna need a lot of food, isn't he?”  
“Like I said, I will make sure you have everything you need.”  
Holding out his hand Takeshi called for the raven to come to him and once it did he brushed his fingers over the head.

“You're not going to like this very much, but we need to do this so you can stay with Linn all the time.”  
He spoke softly to the familiar while taking a small RFID injection kit from one Angel's drones.  
“Ylian, would you hold him please?”  
“Of course.”  
Ylian quickly adjusted their form to hold the large bird securely while Takeshi moved the feathers on the breast aside and placed a drop of numbing venom on the skin, then waited a few seconds before injecting the chip.  
“Angel, scan it please.”  
A drone quickly checked that it was in position and gave a good reading.  
“Everything is in order, registering the ID number to ESA _Hrafn_. A 3 year old crossbreed _Corvux Corax _registered to Linnéa Lund_._”  
Angel quickly listed a wide range of data for Hrafn.  
“Just one more thing Hrafn, we need a small blood sample to create a DNA profile for your data sheet.”  
Takeshi quickly drew the blood before nodding to Ylian to let the somewhat upset bird go and it quickly scrambled back to Linnéa and begged her for attention.  
After a soft scolding it turned around and apologized for trying to peck them.  
“Don't worry, we know the kind of trouble instincts can create.”

After allowing Linnéa and Hrafn some more time to bond they returned to Gothenburg, and while saying their goodbyes Takeshi made Linnéa another offer.  
_“There is something I would like you to consider, but don't let anyone know just.”  
“What?”  
“When they come to Miami to join us I would like you to come with them.”_  
_“Why?”_  
_“I think you would fit in nicely with our family, and they could use something familiar at their side. And quite frankly, I think you would be miserable and suffer without them at your side.”  
”I guess... I'll think about it.”  
“Thanks.”_  
He gave her a quick hug, scratched Hrafn's head, then hugged Saga, Iðunn and Eir before ruffling Fenrir's fur.  
“I'll see you all at graduation then.”  
“Okay.”  
“Remember to call me if you have any questions or issues with Hrafn.”  
“I will.”  
With one last wave Takeshi and the others headed out the door and the waiting car to head back to the Blackout.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Expecting Twins_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Overkill much?”  
Takeshi finally felt that he was ready to reveal his work on the bungalow he had been working on for Iðunn and Eir, and while everyone agreed they would no doubt love it, they also teased him to no end for all the work and fuzzing he had put into it.  
“What? I just wanna make sure they like their new place...”  
“You could have set them up in one of the spare bedrooms and they would love it. I promise.”  
“I know...”  
Takeshi surrendered with a crooked smile, he was well aware he had gone totally overboard.  
“And don't think we don't know about the gown...”  
“She deserves to be at her graduation dance and with a proper gown!”  
Takeshi's words came out sharper than he had intended to and he quickly apologized for losing his cool.

A week ago Saga had called him to let him know that Linnéa didn't have a dress for the dance and was planning on staying home because of it.  
Saga and Sol had tried to help her pick out a gown for the event but she was convinced that none of the suggestions would look good on her, still very self conscious about being overweight, despite having lost almost all of the extra weight thanks to the new treatment she was under.  
Takeshi had no intention of letting her sit the dance out if he could prevent it, so using a combination of her search history and measurements taken by Angel he had ordered her a proper gown.  
The black and green medieval style gown was intended to bring out the hints of green in her eyes and had leather bracers and shoulder pads to give Hrafn somewhere to sit.

“We know Alpha, we know.”  
The teasing tone made Takeshi huff and flash his fangs at them, which of course only earned him more teasing.  
“You really outdid yourself this time though, this place turned out amazing.”  
Emelie's voice was soft and she leaned into his side as they walked out of the bungalow.  
“I couldn't have done it without you guys, you all helped out so much.”  
“You know, you're not the only one to feel the urge to draw them to us, to see them marked as pack.”  
Everyone quickly backed Amanda up, agreeing that they all felt the urge to welcome Iðunn and Eir.  
“It's just two more weeks and they will be here.”  
“And if you get your way, so will Linn?”  
“Indeed.”  
“She really had an effect on you.”  
“Yeah, she did. I think she is meant to be one of us.”  
“You are making us curious to meet her.”  
Takeshi had sworn Ylian, Hiroto, Yami and Sora to secrecy about their visit to Gothenburg, leaving the rest simmering with curiosity.

“Nel, do you have everything you need?”  
“Yeah, I got it.”  
Nelly tapped the case with the custom nail kit created for the Sanctuary crystal nails that Takeshi had made for her, and that she had practiced at making herself.  
Iðunn and Eir both wanted to have their nails decorated, and Takeshi was hoping to talk Linnéa in to having hers done as well.  
“Come on Ylian, time to go.”  
There had been a slight change of plans, to make sure they had time to talk to Linnéa they would leave a few days earlier to give them some time to convince her to attend the dance.  
“Yes Alpha.”  
This time they wouldn't bother flying though, instead they would just shadow travel, the others would fly in in time to attend the graduation ceremony.  
“See you in a couple of days.”  
“Cya.”  
Moments later the group vanished into the shadows, and reappeared in the den in Emelie's old house.

“Daddy!”  
Takeshi had barely materialized when two bodies hit him hard, knocking him to the floor.  
“Oi! Watch those claws!”  
“Birds have talons, not claws.”  
Iðunn quipped back at him, but she did change her hold slightly so the aforementioned talons didn't cut into him as deeply.  
“Talons **are** claws.”  
Saga offered in a diplomatic tone which made her daughters grumble at her.

“Do you have the gowns?”  
With greetings out of the way the girls instantly focused on the promised clothes and accessories.  
“Of course sweetie, but not until Linn gets here.”  
“Aw, we wanted to see what you got for her...”  
“You will have to wait, I want you girls to be nice and hyped, that should pull her along. We don't want her to back out now do we?”  
“No!”  
“She needs to be there!”  
“Please Daddy!”  
The distraught flare of their auras made Takeshi move in to soothe his daughters.  
“Easy girls. I will do what I can to make sure she attends, and has a really good time.”  
“Daddy, we want her to come with us to Miami...”  
“Please?”  
“Can she at least come with us and visit for the summer?”  
“Yeah, then maybe she will want to stay.”  
The way the were begging broke Takeshi's resolve to keep the invitation a secret from them.

“I know, I have already asked her to join you, to move to Miami and live with us.”  
“And you didn't tell us?”  
“I wanted it to be a surprise.”  
“Meanie...”  
“Why did you tell us now though?”  
“You were being genuinely distraught by the thought of leaving without her. And I don't want you to feel like that.”  
“Oh...”  
“Sorry...”  
“It's okay girls. You are coming into pack instincts, and those instincts clearly consider Linn to be yours, part of your extended pack.”  
“...”  
Before Takeshi could say anything more the sound of the doorbell, followed by a voice calling out told them that Linnéa was arriving.  
_“När man talar om trollen.”_  
Saga smiled and mumbled the Swedish version of _Speaking of the Devil_, then called out to let Linnéa know they were downstairs.


	3. A Lesson in Legends

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_A Lesson in Legends_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Hello Linn.”  
“Hi Take, Hi Ylian.”  
Linnéa greeted them and was about to greet Kara when she realized it wasn't Sora.  
“Wait, you're not Sora...”  
“No, Kara am Kara.”  
“Oh, Hello Kara.”  
“And I'm Nel, nice to meet you Linn.”  
“Hi Nel. Where's Hiro?”  
“He had to stay behind, he will be here with the others on the 6th.”  
“Oh, okay.”  
Emelie had requested that Hiroto stay behind to bond with the pack without having Takeshi there.  
  


“I brought Nel because she's really good at doing nail art and our sweet little twins wanted to have theirs decorated for the dance.”  
“Oh, okay, makes sense. It's not like they can take those to a regular saloon, they'd notice those aren't fake.”  
“Indeed.”  
“Linn is here now, so can we see our gowns?”  
Iðunn's impatience made Takeshi smile.  
“Sure, let's clear the table.”  
“Okay.”  
  


The large table was cleared in record time and when Takeshi activated the teleportation circle Linnéa almost fell out of the couch.  
“Wow, that's useful”  
“Indeed it is.”  
“Come on don't stall!”  
“Easy girls.”  
Takeshi picked up the first of two large boxes and opened it to reveal a pale gold dress with details in darker gold and black, the bodice covered in sparkling crystals.  
“Wow...”  
The second box was quickly opened as well to reveal a fairly generous, detachable, train that echoed the same decorations.  
The style was based on a popular wedding dress design, but with a few adjustments to make it a bit less formal.  
“It's perfect!”  
“Thanks Dad!”  
“They're really beautiful...”  
Linnéa was looking slightly slack jawed at the mannequins in the shape of Iðunn and Eir that were now showcasing the gowns and jewelry.  
  


“I have something for you too Linn.”  
Takeshi brought in the box with Linnéa's gown before she had a chance to object.  
“It's amazing...”  
For a moment she just stared at the black and green medieval style dress, then she shook her head and pulled back.  
“It's so small, there's no way it will fit!”  
“It's been tailored to your measurements, trust me, it will fit.”  
“Impossible...”  
“Linn, your self image has been altered by your emotional trauma. This **is** your current size.”  
Takeshi kept his voice soft, but there was a hint of steel hidden beneath.  
“No... It can't be...”  
“It is. Go on, let's try it on and you will see.”  
“Okay...”  
“Do you want Ylian and me to leave while you change?”  
“Nah, that won't be necessary, I feel safe around you guys.”  
“Good.”  
  


Linnéa quickly stripped down to her bra and panties before letting Takeshi help her into the gown.  
“Now, I picked a design with a corset body and long sleeves as it will help keep the loose skin left from your weight loss tucked in. The shoulders are reinforced with leather and there are leather cuffs as well that will let you carry Hrafn comfortably.”  
Takeshi didn't sugarcoat the reasons for picking the design he did, he believed that being upfront about the choices could help her accept herself better.  
“Nel will do your nails, and I was thinking maybe curl your hair a bit and add a bit more red in it, that should bring out the green in your eyes.”  
He didn't mention that he also had a pair of Sanctuary crystal contact lenses in case she wanted a more intense green.  
Their previous meeting had revealed that one of the few things she did like about herself was her coloring, hints of green in her eyes, and copper in her hair.  
“See, I told you it would fit.”  
Takeshi helped her smooth out the sleeves so that they would fall nicely and make it easy to reveal the leather braces beneath.  
“Hrafn, come here, let's see if you can perch comfortably.”  
The large raven answered with a soft caw and landed gently on the offered arm.  
“All good?”  
“Good, good.”  
“Yeah, it feels okay.”  
Suddenly Linnéa's smile faltered then vanished, and she paled visibly, looking as if she was about to cry or run away.  
  


“Linn, what's wrong?”  
“All of this, it doesn't matter!”  
He caught her hands before she had a chance to start tearing at the gown.  
“Please, talk to me.”  
“I wasn't planning on going so I never paid the fee for the dance...”  
“Well, how fortunate then that your auntie Sol is a shrewd old crone. She told us about your plans not to attend, and we made sure the fee was paid in time, and I guess she hid the confirmation letter.”  
Saga spoke up from her seat, letting Linnéa know that entry fee for the dance had been paid in full.  
Linnéa clearly wasn't done beating herself up and trying to be evasive though.  
  


“But I can't dance...”  
“Neither can we.”  
“Not very well at least.”  
“Why do you think we asked Dad to be here a week early?”  
“What?”  
“Indeed, there will be dance lessons all week.”  
With a flare of power Takeshi activated the teleportation circle again, bringing in more boxes.  
“That is also why I had these made.”  
Opening the boxes revealed mockups of their gowns, the materials were simpler, easy to wash, and there were no decorations, but they were designed to be as close as possible to the actual feel of the real gowns, allowing them to wear the mockups to get used to the feel of the gown, which would help them move more naturally when it was time for the dance.  
“Sorry Linn, but we have no plans to allow your insecurities to cheat you out of this experience.”  
Takeshi's soft words were rewarded with a pretty impressive glare, then she blushed brilliantly and hid her face in her hands.  
“Thanks...”  
The words were mumbled between sniffing sobs and even Takeshi had a hard time picking them out, but her gratitude was obvious in her aura.  
He didn't say anything more, instead he just gave her a towel so that her tears wouldn't stain the cloth and waited for her to calm down.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_A Lesson in Legends_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Nel, could you do something like gold marble for our nails?”  
Once Linnéa was calm and they had changed back to their usual clothes focus quickly shifted to picking out things like nails and hairstyles for the dance.  
“Of course. But how about we decide how to do it first.”  
“How?”  
“Well, I could paint your real nail like how we have been doing it so far, or we could cut your natural nails and put on these crystal nails like the ones I used to wear.”  
“I guess using the crystal ones would make it easier to pick any shape we want.”  
“Definitely less work than trying to shape your natural nails, they are really hard to work with.”  
“Okay, let's do that.”  
“Do have an idea what shape you want them to be?”  
Another somewhat puzzled look made Nelly smile and open her nail kit and pick up a selection of sample tips to show them a selection of shapes and lengths.  
“Oh, these look nice.”  
Eir pointed to a long, coffin style nail.  
“An excellent choice.”  
With a starting point selected Nelly brought up the larger case she had brought and opened it up to reveal a pair of robotic hands.  
  


“Angel, would you set the nails to length 6, style 5 please?”  
“Of course.”  
The fingers of the hands waved slightly as the crystal nails grew.”  
“That's so cool..!”  
Linnéa almost jumped when the hands began moving, but moments later she was leaning in, as if spellbound.  
“These are one of the prototype pairs we made for Angel's hands, now I use them to practice my nail art.”  
Despite her issues with Susan's betrayal Nelly enjoyed doing people's nails, she found it calming, and it helped her overcome her lingering shyness.  
_“Nel, could you offer Linn to teach her how to do nails?”  
“Please, we know she would be great at it.”_  
Takeshi wasn't included in the silent questions, but he could feel the shift in Nelly's aura as she made a decision.  
“Linn, would you like me to show you how to do these nails?”  
“Really?!”  
“Of course, it's fun and easy.”  
She was obviously hoping that teaching Linnéa would help her confidence and help her open up the same way it had done for her.  
“First step is,a s we're doing now, selecting the shape and initial length, it's easier to start with a longer nail and shorten it if needed.”  
“Yeah, that makes sense.”  
“Next we want to pick what kind of colors we want to work with and a basic idea for the look we're after.”  
“Gold!”  
“Marble!”  
Iðunn and Eir instantly made their wishes known and showed Nelly a few pictures.  
  


“I think it would look better on you guys if we did something like pink base rather than white.”  
There was a distinctly pleased shift in everyone's aura when Linnéa spoke up and made her own observation about the designs being shown for the twins' nails.  
“Maybe something like this?”  
Angel quickly picked up on Linnéa's words and displayed a marble with a light pink base, darker streaks and flecks and streaks of gold.  
“Could you reverse the colors, more dark, less light?”  
“Of course.”  
“And make them matte please.”  
Everyone watched with bated breaths as Linnéa engaged Angel and created a whole new design.  
“Can you make the gold glossy and the rest matte?”  
“Like this?”  
“Yeah.”  
With no more ideas Linnéa fell silent and seemed to finally realize that she had taken over a bit and she instantly tried to cover the image she had created with Angel's help.  
“Uhm... Sorry...”  
“Don't be, let us see what you made instead.”  
“...”  
After a few nudges she relented and mover her hands away.  
  


“Nice...”  
“They look a lot better than our ideas...”  
“You're good at this Linn, those look really good.”  
The praise made her blush vividly, and the color only grew darker as Iðunn and Eir decided they wanted to use the colors she had picked.  
“So Linn, do you have any design and colors in mind for your own nails?”  
Linnéa instantly tried to hide her own hands and the stubby nails, worn down by excessive biting.  
“...”  
“I'll take that as a no. Girls, let's make something nice for her shall we?”  
“Mhm!”  
“Of course!”  
”Nothing long! I'll just snag them on everything...”  
“Don't worry. I can give you a manicure now and put on a short natural look, then we can use those as a base to attach long ones to so you can get used to them.”  
“I guess I can try...”  
  


“Angel, could you give me style 2 and length 8 please?”  
“Of course.”  
The nails on the display hands morphed into an extra long stiletto design  
“Those are insane!”  
Linnéa instantly objected.  
“Like I said, we start with a longer design then we can shorten them down if needed.”  
“...”  
The sigh and silence spoke of surrender which earned Linnéa a pleased smile.  
“We definitely want dark nails for you.”  
“How about black base with green and gold marbling?”  
Eir's suggested colors quickly came to life on the nails.  
“Hmm...”  
“Can we lose the gold please...”  
“Make the green brighter, bolder.”  
The colors morphed and changed as they spoke, while Linnéa sat silently and allowed them to do as they pleased.  
“Can you make a really intense green? Like toxic neon green?”  
The display changed once again, then after a few moments Angel added her own twist, making the green parts of the design glow and pulse slightly.  
The soft gasp from Linnéa told them they had hit the bullseye for the color, it was intense, crazy, but they all silently agreed it would look amazing on her.  
“Oh, you liked that did you?”  
“It's insane, but... Yeah... It feels right somehow...”  
“And that is all that matters.”  
With the colors picked Nelly started working on Linnéa's nails, giving them a short design with a natural looking french ombré.  
  


“Now all we need to do is take these and press them against the shorter nails like this. And focus on wanting them to attach.”  
The nails glowed for a moment, then fused.  
“How do they feel?”  
Nelly waited a bit to let Linnéa get a feel for her new nails.  
“It feels strange... I thought they would be heavy...”  
“With any other material they would be, but these are super light.”  
“They aren't as uncomfortable as I thought they would be...”  
“How about you leave those on for now and see how you manage?”  
“Okay...”  
Her somewhat hesitant mood was shattered when Hrafn hopped closer and began comparing his own beak to her nails, making everyone laugh.  
“I think Hrafn likes them.”  
Takeshi snorted in amusement as the raven familiar was begging to be scratched with the long nails.  
“Oh, you saying you wouldn't love being scratched with those?”  
Ylian's teasing quip sent a shiver down Takeshi's spine and the bond was flooded with a smoldering desire as he began moving toward them with a predatory smile.  
“Ylian, that was your fault so you better handle the fallout.”  
Nelly made it perfectly clear that she had no intention of dealing with Takeshi's outright horny mood swing.  
“Don't worry, I will.”  
Ylian just smiled and turned their attention to Takeshi.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_A Lesson in Legends_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“How was school today?”  
Takeshi and Ylian picked the girls up at their school as they had promised to go looking at corsages that would match their gowns.  
“It was okay.”  
“Kinda boring, no real classes anymore.”  
“Ylian, can you move to the back please?”  
“Of course Linn.”  
When Linnéa asked to sit up front Ylian simply abandoned their form and sort of flowed into the back of the large car.  
“Where is Nel?”  
Looking into the car Linnéa realized Nelly wasn't there and quickly asked about the young woman she had begun to see as a friend.  
“I brought her to Hawaii to check in on her charges while we look at corsages.”  
Ylian quickly explained that Nelly needed to check on her rehabilitation project so they had brought her, Dan, Hugin and Eric to Hawaii.  
  


As they pulled up to their first stop Takeshi handed the wheel over to Angel and turned around to have a word with the girls.  
“Remember, there will be absolutely no looking at the prices. Is that clear?”  
“Yes Daddy.”  
Iðunn and Eir instantly promised not to look at the prices, Linnéa however didn't answer him.  
“Linn..?”  
“...”  
“Linn!”  
“Yeah yeah...”  
“I would also very much like it if you picked a style you want and allowed me to have it made with sanctuary materials. That way it will never wilt, and we can get the colors perfect, as well as give them a scent you like.”  
”Take, can you make it smell like you?”  
Linnéa's question made Takeshi suck in a sharp breath, and Ylian began snickering at him.  
“What, what did I say?”  
“Scents have a deeper meaning to a pack alpha like me. We use scent marks to show our claims and bonds, to mark our pack, and lovers.”  
“So scents are important?”  
“Very, and someone asking to carry the scent of another can be interpreted in several ways, including a very forward proposition...”  
Linnéa instantly turned bright red, but Takeshi didn't give her time to say anything.  
“It can also be a request for belonging, or protection.”  
When he mentioned protection the blush faded and she turned to look at him.  
“You do smell safe...”  
“If you want your corsage to smell like me, we will make it so. But you should know that something like that means a lot to me, it's not something I do casually. It will be a true promise of protection.”  
”I don't really understand, but it sounds good.”  
“It is a very good thing, believe me.”  
Knowing that Takeshi was at the limit of his ability to handle the emotional topic Ylian spoke up and reassured Linnéa.  
  


Iðunn and Eir quickly found a design they liked with a pale pink lily dusted with gold as the centerpiece, Linnéa was having a tougher time, rejecting several suggestions and growing increasingly agitated as nothing seemed to fit her gown.  
“I don't know, none of these seem right...”  
She pushed the flex with the catalog away.  
“Then we will keep looking.”  
Takeshi didn't try to push her, if they didn't find anything she liked they would just create something for her.  
When she started wandering deeper into the large flower store Takeshi followed quietly behind her and when she stopped to study one of the many plants for sale he paused to see what she was looking at.  
“You like those?”  
“Yeah, but the colors are wrong...”  
“Maybe we could create...”  
Leaning in Takeshi looked at the green and purple leaves and a quick check of the sign told him they were called Persian Shield.  
“Create _Persian Shield_ plants with leaves in black and green, or maybe red to match your hair and lips?”  
“That might work, but we still need a flower though...”  
Resuming her wandering Linnéa headed toward the section of the store that offered exotic flowers such as orchids and flowers with unusual shapes or colors.  
  


“Take...”  
Her soft call sounded somewhat awed and he instantly focused back on her and headed to see what she had found.  
“Can I have a flower like this?”  
Looking at the display revealed a _Black Bat Flower_ with long whiskers.  
“Of course you can. Anything else?”  
“I don't know, this flower, those leaves but black and red, and maybe some gold dust?”  
Takeshi tilted his head for a moment trying to imagine how it would look, then he shook his head with a smile.  
“Angel, could you create an image please?”  
Moments later a small projection came to life, showing a rendering of what Linnéa had selected.  
“That definitely looks good.”  
Holding her hand up to the projection he rotated it slightly to make the whiskers of the flower fall on each side of her hand and the slightly electric tingle in her aura at the touch made him smile, then carefully run a claw along the inside of her wrist which made her shiver.  
“Tease...”  
“I am a tease, yes. But I swear I am **not** leading you on or trying to trick you in any way. I truly do find you desirable.”  
She instantly blushed bright red and spun around, rushing out to find Iðunn and Eir again which made Takeshi sigh and shake his head.  
“You are upset...”  
Angel's observation made him pause for a moment before explaining to her that he was frustrated that the way Linnéa had been teased and bullied had left scars that made it very hard for her to trust someone who told her they liked her, or found her attractive.  
“But you intend to heal those scars, don't you?”  
“I will try, and keep trying.”  
Rejoining the others he began herding the energetic teens toward the exit.  
  


“Ready to go have a look at some perfumes?”  
“Yeah...”  
Iðunn's hesitant agreement made Takeshi smile, his girls were just as appalled with the way a lot of people smelled as he was.  
“Are you going to be okay?”  
Eir picked up the thread, concerned about his sensitive nose.  
“Yeah, those stores are really smelly...”  
“I'm pretty good at numbing my nose so I'll be fine.”  
“Okay.”  
Turning to Linnéa Takeshi leveled her with a mock glare.  
“And do I need to remind you of the rules?”  
“I know... _No looking at the prices_...”  
“That's a good girl.”  
She huffed, and blushed, before storming away to look at one of the many store windows, pretending to be very interested in the various home décor items on display.  
  


By the time they were done at the perfume store Takeshi was suffering a pounding headache, and he took a few greedy breaths once they were outside.  
“Are you okay?”  
Ylian slightly concerned tone instantly had everyone's attention focused on Takeshi.  
“I'll be fine, just a bit of a headache.”  
He quickly handed Ylian the bag with the perfume and samples they had picked up.  
“Would you get that somewhere where I can't smell it please...”  
“Of course.”  
Takeshi had bought Linnéa a bottle of a warm musky perfume that she had fallen in love with, and what felt like a million different miniature bottles and samples.  
Iðunn and Eir had gone nuts over the miniature bottles of various perfumes and begged him to buy all of them, which he had grumbled quite a bit about, but ultimately given in, they did have a point that many of the small, 5ml to 15ml, bottles were quite beautiful.  
He had also ended up adding one of each of the tiny sample vials, the 2-3ml vials were just plain glass vials with a spray or roll cap, but the store had samples of nearly all scents they carried, which was a huge selection.  
  


“Uhm, why did you get all of those small samples?”  
Linnéa was somewhat confused by how Takeshi did his shopping.  
“With these samples Angel can analyze the chemical makeup of the perfume, and we can make our own. I can also use it as a baseline to have perfume wood items made.”  
“Oh... Isn't that called piracy?”  
“I guess. But I honestly don't care.”  
The flippant reply made her break down into laughter and by the time they made it back home she was eager to put on her mockup gown and the nails to practice dancing, and getting used to the long nails.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_A Lesson in Legends_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Ouch, that pulls on my hair...”  
Linnéa flinched slightly when the teeth of the tiara pulled a bit on her hair when Emelie helped her secure it.  
“Sorry. I had to get it in there good so it won't fall off. Try moving your head and see if it pulls anywhere. Or shifts position.”  
“Okay.”  
Emelie watched with a critical eye as Linnéa moved and turned her head, making sure the emerald studded, gold filigree, tiara was on straight and secure.  
“No, it doesn't pull or shift.”  
“Good. And it looks amazing!”  
“I still think it's a bit overboard...”  
“Angel, can we have a projection of how it looks please?”  
“Of course.”  
Moments later the image came to life and Linnéa fell silent.  
“That's me..?”  
“Mhm.”  
“Wow...”  
“Starting to believe us now?”  
She didn't expect Linnéa to answer her, but she did point it out anyway that they had repeatedly expressed their appreciation of her looks.  
“...”  
The silence only made her sigh, and nod to Hrafn that he could approach.  
“Hrafn, I know they look tempting, but you need to leave her jewelry alone or you might damage it, or cause her pain.”  
Emelie gently scolded the approaching raven before letting him resume his perch on Linnéa's shoulder.  
“I will be careful.”  
“That's good.”  
Looking around she noticed that the males of the group were still nowhere to be found.  
  


“Manda, would you go see to that the boys don't make us late?”  
“Of course Alpha.”  
It had been easy for Takeshi to convince the school to allow Dan, Hugin and Munin to attend the dance as well, the promise of extra chaperons as well as free, trained and certified, security personnel was a very good idea.  
Walking into the downstairs living room, aka den, Amanda paused at the sight before her.  
“Wow..!”  
All four were dressed to the nines and Takeshi was currently working on ruffling Dan's hair to ensure he would have that tousled, somewhat roguish, look they all adored.  
“Em asked me to remind you boys that you better be ready on time.”  
“Don't worry, we're good to go.”  
“You better get upstairs then 'cause the girls are getting nervous.”  
“Okay, let's get moving.”  
They quickly picked up the boxes that held the corsages and boutonniéres and after a quick check they made sure they had the right ones.  
Hugin and Munin would both wear pink lilies dusted in gold to match Iðunn and Eir, Takeshi a lady slipper orchid so dark it appeared almost black to match Linnéa's black bat flower, while Dan would wear classic white in the form of a small Shamarai flower, which most would assume to be some variety of lotus.  
“Well if you boy's don't look downright delicious.”  
Emelie cooed at them when they entered the living room and with a wicked smile she sauntered up to them and gave each of them a heated kiss.  
  


Takeshi watched Dan's slightly hesitant body language as they gave the smaller boxes with the boutonniéres to the girls and it triggered a strong protective surge.  
Dan didn't have anyone to make the traditional exchange with a corsage with.  
“Allow me mate.”  
Takeshi took the box with the white flower from Dan's hand and secured the fragrant arrangement on the lapel of his jacket.  
“There you go love.”  
Leaning in he kissed him deeply, earning them a somewhat embarrassed squeak from Linnéa.  
“Now I'm going to have that image stuck in my head all night...”  
“Maybe I should add the same bonus with your corsage?”  
She instantly went even darker red and spluttered incoherently at him.  
“I guess I better not, would be a shame to reduce you to a blushing mess.”  
“Asshole..”  
She quickly forgot about being upset though when they stepped outside and she caught sight of the white limousine they had arranged for the occasion.  
  


With Angel's help they pulled up in front of the school with perfect timing, earning them a huge crowd as they stepped out of the limousine.  
With a smooth motion Takeshi kneeled down in front of a blushing Linnéa to make it easier for her to place the orchid on his lapel, and when she was done he placed the corsage around her wrist and stood back up, then leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead for good measure.  
Next to him Hugin and Munin gave Iðunn and Eir the same treatment before offering them their arms.  
“Have fun now.”  
Angel's teasing call from the driver's seat had them all smiling, and she caused quite a few gasps as the empty car drove away on its own.  
  


“_Tant Sol!”_  
Linnéa's eager calls alerted them that her great aunt had arrived, and Takeshi was curious to finally meet the woman.  
He could see and feel the sharp aura before he spotted the elderly woman on a mobility scooter, her body may be frail, but the aura told them all that her mind was as sharp as ever, it was all steel, ice and fire.  
The sharp flicker of shock and whispered _Svartängel_, as Linnéa and Takeshi guided her out from the crowd and she spotted Hugin and Munin made one thing perfectly clear, she could see them for what they truly were.  
She instantly nailed Takeshi with a sharp look, then turned to Linnéa.  
_“Jag hoppas du är medveten om att dom där pojkarna inte är människor?”_  
Sol instantly questioned Linnéa to make sure she was aware that those _new boys_ she had been around were not human.  
“Yeah, I know, none of them are entirely human.”  
“They call themselves Obsidian Angels. But we just call them Hugin and Munin.”  
Takeshi added softly, so far he really liked the old bat and not needing to dance about the truth would be a welcome change of pace.  
“Not sure what you are supposed to be though...”  
Sol did not hold her punches so Takeshi leaned in and allowed his eyes to shift quickly.  
“I was once human, but now I'm a shapeshifter. Most of us are.”  
“We will be having a very long talk once this dance is over.”  
The no nonsense tone made Takeshi straighten up and give her a bow.  
“Indeed we will Lady Sol.”  
She gave him a curt nod, then she broke into a brilliant smile.  
“I like you.”  
The old imp then proceeded to cop herself a good feel which had Linnéa bright red and scolding her, Takeshi however just chuckled and kept walking, he saw no reason to be upset.  
  


“You have fun now!”  
“Don't do anything we would!”  
“Make sure you keep Take on a tight leash.”  
“Tant Sol, you behave now!”  
The teasing exchange had everyone laughing as Iðunn, Eir and Linnéa along with their _escorts_ began moving toward the school gym which had been turned into a ballroom.  
  


“Sol, would you care to join us in the park? We have plenty of snacks to enjoy while they have their fun at the prom.”  
Emelie turned to the older woman and extended an invitation with a smile.  
“I** would** very much like to know what you are.”  
Sol reached out and grabbed Emelie's tail which made her blush and huff before reclaiming her precious appendage from the curious hands.  
“I'm a succubus.”  
“Now that sounds interesting.”  
Sol's eyes were gleaming in delight and the curiosity and joy in her aura was contagious.  
  


“Lady Sol, would you permit me to carry you past these obstacles? Or would you prefer to go around?”  
Ylian quickly offered to carry Linnéa's great aunt past a section of stairs and rough terrain.  
“Please.”  
They picked her up with ease and grew somewhat concerned with how little she weighed.  
While Ylian carried Sol Melissa and Amanda picked up her mobility scooter and carried it to the spot they had picked.  
“Thank you. I have a feeling that calling you _Young man_ would not be appropriate.”  
Sol's obvious fishing made Ylian snort in amusement.  
“Indeed, I'm neither young, nor male.”  
The look she gave them was a quite obvious demand for an elaboration.  
“I'm a shadeling, a species of shadow demon, my kind does not have genders. And though I would indeed be considered young among my kind, I am still well over 200 times your age.”  
It didn't take long for everyone to settle down and they happily answered Sol's questions, and enjoyed her brilliant mind and wicked humor, sending waves of amused approval over the bonds to those who were not present.  
But Takeshi could sense an undercurrent of concern as well, they were clearly worried about Sol's age and frail body.  
  


Takeshi watched as the prom drew to its end and the last dance was announced, a samba as the students had voted for during the planning of the prom, and with a push of determination he silenced the warring emotions deep within and walked over to Linnéa.  
“Linn, may I have this dance?”  
He had noticed that a few of the boys were interested, but part of his alpha nature was rebelling, telling him to secure his claim on the unattached, eligible, young female, to help secure his daughters' claim on her, instincts he had eventually given in to.  
“Okay.”  
She took the offered hand and allowed him to lead her out on the dance floor.  
As they had already agreed on beforehand Hugin and Munin headed over and asked Iðunn and Eir for the honor of their last dance as well.  
Revealing the secret behind the choice of design for their gowns Iðunn and Eir removed the big trains, revealing the lighter, flowing, skirts more suited for the energetic dance.  
Takeshi felt a strong relief when the sight of two pairs of twins dancing drew almost all the attention of the room.  
Tapping into bonds that only twins could truly know both pairs moved in perfect sync, moving to their own rhythm they pulled off some pretty impressive moves and taking full advantage of the fact that most watching would not be able to tell them apart they did several moves that involved switching partners.  
With the distraction created by the display it became very easy for Takeshi to turn attention away from him and Linnéa, allowing him to lead her into a much slower dance, thought it was every bit as powerful as the energetic samba, only with a deeper, emotional, energy.  
  


“Linn, have you decided about what I asked you?”  
“About moving to Miami?”  
“Mhm.”  
“Yeah, I have.”  
She leaned closer and Takeshi could feel emotions dancing through her aura as she collected herself and tried to find her words.  
“I'll join you. I don't know how, or why, but I just know I belong with you guys...”  
Pulling her closer Takeshi released a breath he had been holding and brushed his lips against the corner of her mouth.  
“Thank you...”  
For a brief moment she turned slightly and though the kiss lasted a mere moment there was an intense spark of emotion before she burrowed her face against his chest.  
For a moment he was distracted, savoring the subtle flavor of her feelings, curiosity, innocence, belonging and a hint of promise.  
“I just hope auntie Sol won't object... I'm still a minor.”  
Her words made him huff softly.  
“I have no doubt the others will demand that we offer Sol a chance to retire to sunny Florida. And I have a feeling she is curious enough to accept.”  
“You would invite auntie Sol to move in with you as well?”  
“I would, we would. Pack is a bond of heart and family, she is your family and that makes her our family.”  
The soft sniffles made him tut at her.  
“Linn, this is supposed to be a happy day.”  
He scolded her softly and much to his relief she snorted softly between the sobs, her aura was a mess of emotions but it slowly brightened up into something calm, but happy.  
“Yeah, I guess.”  
“Come on, let's join the others before the distraction ends and we cause a scene.”  
He gave her a gentle nudge toward the other guests.  
“Would you stay like this, cause a scene, if I asked?”  
Her voice carried a mix of doubt, and hope, that made him smile and burrow his nose in her hair.  
“I would.”  
He didn't really care what others thought, she was of legal age so there wouldn't be any serious problems, he had no intention of taking things beyond teasing and a few touches or light kisses anyway, she wasn't ready for something like that.  
“I guess we better not though. Someone might report it to social services and they could remove auntie Sol as my legal guardian, preventing me from leaving the country.”  
“Indeed.”  
He reached out for Hrafn and asked the creature to relay his feeling of pride to her, her words had shown maturity and responsibility.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_A Lesson in Legends_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


Once they stepped out into the warm night they were met by the families of the attendants, and the rest of the pack, all of them with an eager energy, their evening was far from over.  
“Let's head home and change into something a bit more comfortable.”  
Takeshi nudged them toward the waiting limousine.  
“We will head to the beach and start setting everything up.”  
Emelie's energies told him she had something on her mind, and the way the energies of the pack swirled around her told him that whatever it was the pack was backing her, and he suspected it had something to do with the old woman currently napping comfortably in the sleeping area of their bus.  
The next step of their evening was to head down to a nice little spot at the coast for a long night of food, games and overall fun, but first the prom attendants needed to change back into normal clothes.  
  


“Take! Take!”  
Kara's happy calls as both crows took off like black bats out of hell told everyone that they had spotted the others.  
“Hello Kara.”  
Takeshi held out his arm to greet the eager crow and after a quick scratch she moved over to let Sora land as well.  
“Hello Sora.”  
“I missed you...”  
“I know sweetie.”  
Takeshi scratched her head, then gave her a quick kiss on the beak before moving her to his free shoulder.  
Walking into the gathered group Takeshi received quite a lot of attention, everyone had felt his emotional exchange with Linnéa and were now seeking to reaffirm their own emotions and bonds.  
“Love you too sweetie, now go assault Hugin instead.”  
He gave Nelly a quick kiss before pushing her over to Hugin and moments later Kara went with her.  
“Hiro, come here and get our dear little Sora will you?”  
It took a good 10 minutes before everyone began settling down, but the expectant energy he had sensed earlier remained.  
  


“What are your intentions for my little Linn?”  
Sol didn't hold her punches, not even bothering to say hello she nailed Takeshi with a glare.  
“Sol!”  
Linnéa was about to begin scolding her when Takeshi stopped her with a gentle touch and a shake of his head.  
“I intend to claim her for my Pack, my House, make her family. Protect her, guide her, and show her the true world hidden beyond this one. And if she agrees, I would very much like to have her as a lover one day, and maybe more if our hearts guide us onto such a path.”  
Linnéa blushed vividly at his words while Sol hummed and nodded.  
“So you will take her with you to Miami?”  
“That is my intent.”  
“Will you see to that she comes back to visit her old auntie a few times a year at least?”  
For a moment all that strength faded from Sol and she felt incredibly fragile.  
“Actually, I was hoping you would agree to come with us, you are her blood, her family.”  
“Me..?”  
“Mhm.”  
He sat down next to her and took the wrinkled hands into his own.  
“We have plenty of room. You would have your pick between a small bungalow, or several different apartments and rooms. Any assistance you might need we will provide. And I will make sure to supplement your pension to make sure you can live comfortably and engage in whatever activities you enjoy.”  
He could feel the tremble in Sol's hands and when she looked up her eyes were shining with unshed tears.  
“Would you show me other worlds? Let me see the Obsidian Halls?”  
“As you are now, that would kill you.”  
Takeshi didn't hold back and he could feel his pack stir at the somewhat harsh words.

“To see it just once, even if it kills me... It would be a happy ending for me.”  
_“Sol! Nej! Du får inte!”_  
Linnéa's pained objections, forbidding her to anything that would put her life at risk, instantly brought the pack to full alert and they pulled closer, and Takeshi found himself on the receiving end of some pretty upset energies.  
“There is a way to make it safe for you.”  
“There is?”  
“I can change you, make you like us. It would make you young again, and stronger than any human. Give you full access to the power of your soul.”  
He quickly turned to face the now silent pack, and Linnéa.  
“Linn, I would like you to consider accepting the change as well, and become like us. Accept your place at my daughters' side as their equal, unfazed by time.”  
“Yes!”  
Linnéa instantly threw herself into Takeshi's arms, and when he turned back to Sol she offered him a brilliant smile.  
“Of course, if only to see the world I have only ever dreamt of.”  
“Then we will make preparations to move you to Miami, and once we leave here I will change you.”  
“Take... That would take a few weeks...”  
Emelie stepped up with a hint of concern in her voice.  
“I know love.”  
Taking Sol's hands again he allowed his aura to wash through her, carefully assessing her health.

“Until we are ready to leave, I would like to give you a little something to bolster your strength. We don't want to risk your heart giving out fom the excitement.”  
“You can tell?!”  
“Yes, we can tell.”  
“Tell what?!”  
Linnéa was tethering on the edge of control, concerned by the exchange and after a moment Sol sighed deeply.  
“My heart has been failing for a while now...”  
There was a strong surge of emotion thought the bonds, everyone recalling Matthews' passing due to his bad heart.  
“Why haven't you told me?”  
“I didn't want you to worry, especially not now with all of the exams before graduation. And you have been so happy since you met Take and the others.”  
Linnéa instantly turned to Takeshi.  
“You can fix her like you did with me?”  
“Not fix, that requires the change, but I can strengthen her, make sure her heart can keep up. And we will give her a temporary familiar that will watch over her and alert us if something is wrong.”  
“Good!”  
She quickly spun around and nailed Sol with a glare.  
“And you better listen to him and follow whatever treatments he suggests!”  
“Yes Linn, I will.”  
“She's stubborn as a mule, don't let her get away with anything!”  
“I won't sweetie.”  
  


To help Linnéa relax Takeshi prepared a treatment for Sol right away, then they settled down to talk while she rested a bit.  
“Would you two tell me a bit about the Obsidian Halls? Is it true that Lucifer is your Lord, that he fell because he loved a human woman?”  
“It is true.”  
“She was his Soulmate.”  
Together Hugin and Munin told her about the Obsidian Halls, about the true reason for why Lucifer had been banished from the human realm and forced out of the smaller realm that was often called Heaven.  
They explained that the entity referred to as _God_, was an Avatar, and they explained about the Avatars.  
  


“So you are one of these Avatars?”  
Sol looked at Ylian with avid curiosity.  
“Indeed I am. I'm an Avatar of Shadow, only a Lesser Avatar though. But I have the potential to grow into a Greater Avatar, and my father is the Prime Avatar of Shadow, and Shadow is a Cardinal Aspect.”  
“So, you are essentially a god?”  
“I might be considered a minor one. But I much rather just be Pack and Pana.”  
“Pana?”  
The confused question lead them to explaining about Shadeling reproduction and soon the conversation jumped between explaining about various demons and sorting out the grains of truth hidden in legends.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_A Lesson in Legends_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Come on Sol, let's get you strapped in.”  
The Mother had requested that Sol be brought before the Soul-Tree while she was still human so they were preparing to bring her to Hawaii.  
They didn't want to risk bringing her through the Shadows though so Takeshi and Amanda would take her, Linnéa and Saga's twins in the Blackout.  
“Comfortable?”  
“Very, thank you.”  
“Let's go then.”  
  


The flight took longer than usual as Takeshi opted to stay subsonic to minimize the strain on Sol's body and once they landed he shifted into his large wolf form, complete with saddle.  
_“It's a long walk to the Sanctuary, I believe you will be more comfortable like this.”_  
“Oh, okay.”  
  


Entering the Sanctuary lead to the usual waiting for Sol to explore its wonders before bringing her into the annex of the Soul-Tree.  
_**“Welcome to the Sanctuary Sol. I am the Avatar of Life, the one usually known only as The Mother.”**_  
“As in Mother Nature? Mut? Gaia?”  
_**“Those are some of my many names.”**_  
Sol tugged on Takeshi's sleeve, asking him to help her kneel down.  
_**“There is no need for that child. Your body is old and your bones ache. The song of your soul holds more reverence than such gestures ever could.”**_  
The Mother made it quite clear that she didn't want Sol to bow or kneel.  
**_“I have asked to have you brought here because I have a gift for you. A gift that you need to receive before you change because receiving it would kill someone who is Other.”_**  
Takeshi was very curious about what kind of gift it could be.  
  


Moments later some of the wines and leaves at the back wall retreated and revealed a small, unassuming plant.  
There was a basal rosette of large wrinkly green leaves and in the center was a collection of while flowers with pale green base.  
_“Alruna...”_  
Sol's soft whisper told Takeshi she recognized the plant, a Mandrake.  
_**“Take, you and the others must leave the annex now, only Sol and Linn can stay. Hrafn must leave as well. The Mandrake will release a burst of power when pulled, power that would kill even you, but will not harm a mortal human.”**_  
”What about the taint of my blood and power from the treatments they are taking?”  
He knew the Mother wouldn't do anything to hurt them, but the question was spoken before he could even think.  
_**“Don't worry my dear little alpha, it is safe.”**_  
The tone was amused and there was a slight nudge of power against Takeshi's aura that spurred him into motion and he quickly ushered the others out of the annex and once they were outside barriers flared to life, covering the entrance.  
From outside he watched Sol approach the plant and with some help from Linnéa, pull it from the soil, and the moments it was pulled he could feel a painful screech against his soul and it was obvious that the others felt it too and it almost sent Hrafn into a panic.  
  


“_**You can enter now.”**_  
As she spoke the barrier fell and Hrafn darted in before anyone had time to react.  
When she turned around Sol was cradling a fairly small plant in her hands, the root looked very much like a naked human body, that of a young woman, but instead of head and face there were a few small leaves for hair, and a handful of small flowers.  
It was significantly smaller than the plant that had been growing in the hidden niche though, and it radiated power.  
Leaning in to have a closer look he felt power brush against him, and the small root began moving.  
“It's alive...”  
_**“She is a true Mandrake, a spirit of power and magic. She will warn Sol of danger, protect her, and guide her dreams.”**_  
With a calming breath Takeshi opened his soul to the probing power, allowing it to know him, hoping that whatever consciousness it possessed would recognize him as a friend.  
It seemed to be working as the animated root quickly stilled, then slowly crawled toward Sol's neck.  
On a whim Takeshi plucked a few strands of hair and with a flicker of power he turned them into a cord and offered it to Sol.  
“Se if your little friend there accepts using that as a cord to keep her around your neck. It won't break easily, and it can't be removed unless by your will.”  
Sol looked rather confused so Takeshi slowly reached out for the squirming root and allowed the braided strands of hair touch it, and after a few moments the arms reached out and the fine roots touched the cord.  
For a while nothing happened, then the root seemed to merge with the cord and Takeshi nodded for Sol to put it around her neck.  
  


“_**You will grant Linn the Blessing first, give Sol time to bond with her new companion.”**_  
“As you wish.”  
Takeshi brushed his hand over the bark of the tree, enjoying the feeling of the power of the Mother against his own.  
_**“Go now. Your time is not unlimited.”**_  
The dismissal in the power told him that there would be no further explanations.  
“Thank you.”  
With one last brush of his aura he turned to the others.  
“Come on Linn, it's time for your change.”  
  


Experience made the process swift, and soon Takeshi was running his fingers through the feathers of a large, almost completely black, eagle.  
Linnéa was slightly smaller than the twins, and she was almost pure black, only bright green eyes standing out from the otherwise deep black.  
“Linn, you are so beautiful.”  
“Gorgeous.”  
“Come on, shift back so we can see if your human form has changed any.”  
Takeshi just smiled and allowed Iðunn and Eir to take charge once he had changed Linnéa, she was after all theirs.  
Under their guidance she quickly returned to her human form and the first thing he noticed was that her eyes were now a brilliant green, and her hair a stunning shade of red, her clawed nails carried a distinct metallic sheen that told him she had picked up some of his dragon traits..  
A closer look revealed that her body had now absorbed the excess skin from her previous weight loss, and the stretchmarks had healed as well.  
“May I kiss you?”  
She nodded softly and Takeshi's kiss was equally soft, Iðunn and Eir didn't hold back though and the moment he pulled back they each gave Linn a searing kiss that left her speechless.  
“My little girls are like me, they don't care what sex you are.”  
Takeshi's partial explanation to their behavior left Linnéa bright red and stuttering incoherently.  
“I think you broke her...”  
Sol snickered and moved closer.  
“Indeed. Are you ready for your turn?”  
“Yeah.”  
Takeshi carefully shifted his position to make sure she was comfortable and that he wouldn't harm her fragile body before biting down and letting power flow into her.  
  


He started out slow, not wanting to overwhelm her body and he could feel her eagerly drawing in the power and using it to strengthen her body and he could see the hair around his face darkening, gradually turning from a silvery gray to a pure, deep, black.  
Sensing that her body had rejuvenated and could now handle the power he opened up and gave the power that was change free reins, allowing Sol's spirit and soul to do with it as she pleased.  
After a few minutes he felt a slight pulse of rejection, telling him she had taken all she could handle so he carefully put the, now young, woman down and waited to see what she would become.  
“Why isn't she changing?”  
After a few minutes without any change Linnéa grew concerned, and quite frankly, so did he.  
_“Sol has chosen to use the power not to become a shapeshifter, but to become something completely different.”_  
Hrafn speaking with the voice of the Mother sounded odd.  
“Then what did she become?”  
Takeshi allowed his curiosity to rise.  
_“She is an eternal, just like the rest of you, but instead of the power to shift she merely allowed that power to change her appearance into her ideal self image. Once she had done that she sought out the power to alter her soul, the power of true magic, and Realmwalking.”_  
“Makes sense, the one thing she wanted more than anything was to be able to see other worlds, and now she can see them all.”  
He carefully brushed his aura against Sol's, testing the feel of it and moments later it sparked with energy and she stirred.  
  


_“Tant Sol?”_  
Linnéa called out in a low voice and moments later Sol's head rose and she opened her eyes, revealing dazzling, golden, cat eyes.  
“Oh, I bet you are happy now that you look just like your favorite book character..!”  
Linnéa huffed and laughed when she got a good look at Sol's new appearance.  
“Oh?”  
Takeshi knew she had taken her name from the character of a book, but he hadn't really inquired any further.  
“Mhm, the character is described as being petite with large breasts, long, curly, black hair, golden cat eyes, and to have an unworldly sensuality about her.”  
“That does sound like an apt description.”  
Takeshi could feel something similar to the seduction of a succubus pulling at him, and with a sharp flare of his aura he rejected the pull, and the way Sol's eyes widened made it perfectly clear she had been aware of what she was doing.  
“Sol, you will not use seduction against me, or any member of my Pack and House, without their permission.”  
“...”  
“Is that clear?”  
He enforced his demand by unfolding his aura and allowing his power to bare down on her.  
“Yes!”  
He instantly pulled his power back, leaving Sol gasping for air, somewhat shocked by the unfamiliar feeling.  
“I'm sorry I had to demonstrate things in such a rough way, but there are quite a few things you will need to learn.”  
“I definitely don't want to be on the receiving end of that feeling again...”  
“Don't worry, it's something I very rarely do. It's usually reserved for very severe scoldings.”  
“It's all new, but I could tell... You are crazy strong...”  
“That I am...”  
Takeshi sighed deeply.  
“But I promise you, as long as you don't outright betray me, those who are mine, or become a threat to us, you have nothing to fear from my power.”  
For a moment her eyes darkened with a shadow of something wild, and dangerous, then they brightened again and she smiled.  
“Agreed.”  
Offering Sol his hand he quickly pulled her to her feet.  
“Let's return home, the Mother mentioned a time restraint so we should make haste and return to the others.”  
“Okay.”  
“Angel, would you bring the Blackout back to Miami please?”  
“Of course.”  
Moments later they vanished into the shadows, and reappeared in Miami.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_A Lesson in Legends_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


The moment he arrived Takeshi flared his aura to summon everyone to the main garden and a few minutes later everyone were gathered.  
“The Mother alerted me that something is coming up, and soon. Everyone should make sure their bags are ready in case we need to move fast.”  
“Okay!”  
Moments later everyone scattered, and about 10 minutes later they all returned and confirmed that they had bags packed and standing by on teleport pads, packed away in the shadows, and whatever means they had available.  
“Eric, you should call your father and let him know you might be skipping town for a while.”  
“Already have, explained about our planned 1 year trip and that we might leave early.”  
“Good thinking.”  
Takeshi gave him a quick hug before turning back to the others, and their bubbling curiosity.  
  


“Did She tell you anything about what to expect?”  
Emelie's question just made him sigh and shake his head.  
“No, only that my time was _Not unlimited_, but you know how strict the Fates can be about how much they permit to be revealed. That she said anything at all is reason for concern.”  
“I guess...”  
Emelie grumbled for a moment before turning to Linnéa and Sol.  
“How about we have a look at our new blessed while we wait for whatever those manipulative bitches have cooked up this time?”  
  


Emelie had barely finished speaking when the barrier around their home shivered, and a moment later a nightdemon appeared, he wore the robes of the Guild of Realmwalkers and a tabard marked with the mark of an Imperial Courier, and he quickly schooled his energies into a calm, non-threatening pattern and bowed deeply before Emelie before turning to Takeshi, kneeling and presenting him with a scroll-case decorated with the Sigil of the House of the Eternal Night.  
“You totally had to jinx it, didn't you?”  
Amber's soft huff earned her a flash of fangs and a scolding hiss, telling her now was not the right time for their usual antics.  
“Sorry...”  
  


Takeshi took the offered scroll case, opened the seal and began reading the scroll inside.  
“House _Trzgght_ of the Blue Sand has filed a formal complaint against House Shamarai, they have demanded that our claim to the holdings of former House Miara, and the marking as tharas and banishment of Arath be investigated.”  
Takeshi stumbled for a moment trying to pronounce the name of the House that was challenging them, but he was unable to.  
“We have been summoned to appear before the Grand Tribunal of the Lords at the night of the Red Moon.”  
“That's tomorrow...”  
“Mhm, and we would need some time to look as their claims so we should leave right away.”  
Takeshi quickly turned his attention back to the courier.  
“Realmwalker, will you join us through the Shadows and into the Mist?”  
“Please, the transit back home from this Realm can be quite draining for one such as myself.”  
The lack of _prana_ in the human realm meant the demon had to draw entirely on his own reserves to make the return trip.  
“Alright, everyone, get your bags.”  
He watched his family stampede to grab their things and get ready to travel.  
“Angel, I don't know how long we will be gone this time, but I will try to get word to you. Keep working with Mandrake on your body, and if you need anything, talk to Red and the others, or anyone at Mandrake, they will assist you.”  
“I will. You stay safe...”  
“I will try.”

“Linn, Sol, it would seem you will get a chance to see the demon realm sooner than expected. But keep in mind, you are not formally House Shamarai so you don't have to come with us if you don't want to.”  
“No way I'm missing this!”  
Sol was beaming with delight at the idea of getting to see another realm so soon.  
“Me neither!”  
Linnéa's refusal to stay behind was expected as well.  
“You are a Realmwalker..?”  
The nightdemon was genuinely surprised as his attention was drawn to Sol at her energetic refusal to stay behind.  
“...”  
Sol wisely kept her silence and glanced at Takeshi, allowing him to maintain at least the illusion of being in charge.  
“Indeed she is, the power of the Avatar of Life changed her this very day, and gave birth to a new Realmwalker.”  
“House Shamarai has once again brought about a great blessing to us. You have the eternal gratitude of our Guild.”  
“If you wish to show me gratitude, do so by seeing to that Sol is taught about what it means to be a Realmwalker. About the powers, and the dangers.”  
“I will bring it to the Master and if they refuse to assign a teacher I will teach her myself.”  
“Thank you Shirai.”  
“It would be my honor Iero, and you may call me Dandre.”  
“Thank you Dandre.”

Less than half an hour later they stepped out of the mists into the transit area of the grand castle at the edge of the Eternal Night, Lilith's domain.  
“House Shamarai, welcome to the Eternal Night.”  
They were greeted by a pair of guards, by the feel of them norai lilim, and they soon found themselves escorted to a large guest wing.  
“Please make yourself comfortable, food has already been requested for you and someone will be here to pick you up to be briefed on the complaints filed against you at the first mark of twilight.  
When Takeshi looked toward the window, and the perpetual night outside the guard smiled.  
“The 8  th  mark of day just began.”  
“Thank you.”  
Takeshi quickly recalled that the day in the Eternal Night was 10 hours so they had about 2 hours before they would be called.  
“That would be about 2 hours human realm time?”  
He asked just to be on the safe side.  
“Yes.”  
“Good, that should give us time to eat and settle in a bit.”  
“The food should be here within a quarter of a human hour.”  
“Thank you Norai.”

They had barely finished their food when Lilith's majordomo entered, she was an arai who was one of the first ever born, making her almost as old as Lilith herself.  
“Come with me please. Mother has requested your presence in the Tama Garden to go through the complaints issued against House Shamarai.”  
The Tama Garden, or Silver Garden, was something of a cross between a garden, a study, and a meeting room, they had met with Lilith there on many occasions, it was one of her favorites.  
“Of course Arai-Dara.”  
Takeshi could feel the burn of Fate as they followed the Majordomo to the hidden garden.


	4. Challenges

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Challenges_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Welcome, please have a seat.”  
Lilith greeted them when they arrived, but her usual energy was missing.  
“Lady Lilith, it's an honor to be here again.”  
“House Shamarai is always welcome in my domains, I only wish it was under better circumstances.”  
“Indeed.”  
Takeshi sat down in front of the old demoness and waited patiently for her to speak.  
“House _Trzgght_ of the Blue Sands have blood ties to former House Miara of the Blue Sands and they argue that all Miara assets, including Seia and her daughters should have been placed under their control. And they argue that you had no right to mark Arath as tharas and banish him."  
Even Lilith struggled with the strange name of the hostile House.  
"Arath's crimes were committed in the Obsidian Halls, the girl's family would have been within their rights to kill him for what he did. By acting before they could I was able to protect the honor of not just my House Shamarai, but also that of former House Miara and the silk trade."  
"Indeed, they have no grounds for their complaints. But they have enough backers interested in the profits from the silk trade to carry their petition."  
Takeshi sighed deeply, greed was every bit as much a demon affliction as a human one, it just expressed itself a bit differently in demon society.

“They will try to make House Shamarai look bad, and they will probably insult you severely enough to warrant immediate action.”  
“They believe me to be weak?”  
“They do. You have fought very few challenges to get to where you are and you are very skilled at avoiding lethal challenges.”  
“I have no desire to kill fools who don't know any better.”  
“I know, and these may be fools, but they do know what they are doing. They intend to provoke you to combat, believing they will be able to win, and take all of House Shamarai as their own. They want to profit not only from the silk trade, but your females...”  
The room exploded with burning fury, and everyone made it perfectly clear they would never accept it, even if Takeshi lost they all swore they would fight for their freedom.  
Lilith wasn't actually worried though, and the way Takeshi's power taxed her barriers told her without a doubt that the challengers had nowhere near enough power to be any threat.  
They could still try underhanded methods though.  
  


“I called you here not because I'm concerned about the power of your Alpha, but because I am concerned they will attempt something underhanded. I believe they will attempt to threaten the pack to try to keep him from fighting.”  
“They underestimate us...”  
“We might may be females, and young by their standards, but our Alpha has taught us well!”  
“Are they even aware that an attack on Pack Kiryu is an attack on Lord Lucifer?”  
“I doubt it.”  
Lilith offered a crooked smile and her aura was alight with pride, House Shamarai rarely bothered with titles and formalities, but they showed that they were more than capable when needed.  
“This once, will you carry your weapons openly?”  
Seeing the Alpha and Yemo of House Shamarai fully armed might help to dissuade some of those conspiring against them.  
“Yeah, I will. Will my family be allowed to be armed as well?”  
“They will. This involves all of House Shamarai.”  
“Good.”  
“What about Linn and Sol? They aren't House Shamarai yet... And they haven't been taught to fight yet.”  
Iðunn and Eir instantly spoke in concern for their friend.  
“Young Eric, Linn and Sol will be under my personal protection.”  
“Thank you Nana.”  
Emelie gave Lilith a tight hug.  
“Don't worry my sweet little Shirai. I may be somewhat hampered by the laws of the lands, but there are a lot of things I can do. After all, I wrote these laws, I know all the little secrets and hidden loopholes.”  
“That's my Nana.”  
Emelie's tone sounded somewhat smug, but her smile was light and teasing.  
“Go on, head back to the guest wing. I have it on good authority that someone will be there waiting for you.”  
Lilith gave them a push of her seductive power as she pretty much chased them out of the garden area, leaving them all quite aroused.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Challenges_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


Their return to the guest wing was somewhat rushed, and the moment they passed the inner shield they could feel Lucifer's aura from the garden area.  
“Uncle Lucy!”  
There was a veritable stampede as everyone poured into the garden.  
“Hello sweetie.”  
Emelie reached him first, and received a searing kiss before Lucifer greeted the rest with with varying degrees of intimacy.  
He took extra time with Takeshi before turning to Linnéa and Sol.  
“Hello Linn, Sol.”  
“Uh, hi...”  
“Hello...!”  
Linnéa mostly sounded embarrassed and unsure of how to address Lucifer, while Sol managed a very sultry greeting.  
“You can call me Lucy in private. The rest of this bunch of maniacs do.”  
”And when we are not in private?”  
“The proper address would be Lucifer-etiro. Etiro roughly translates as Lord. For a female, Like Lilith you would use Etira, and a genderless in a ruling position would be addressed with Etiri.”  
“And what do they call you?”  
Lucifer laughed at Sol's accurate deduction that Takeshi and the pack didn't address him properly even when in public.  
“They tend to call me Uncle Lucy.”  
“And you tend to not object?  
“Indeed.”

When Sol began walking around him, clearly having a closer look, Lucifer snickered and flared his wings a bit.  
“Like what you see do you?”  
“Definitely.”  
There was a slight frown though and she hummed softly.  
“Something wrong?”  
“Not really. Remember, everything I know about you is from old legends and fiction books. They led me to believe you were larger...”  
Her comment caused quite a bit of laughter, and she was looking very confused.  
“Hugin, Munin, why don't you boys show Sol your true forms?”  
Lucifer's teasing question instantly had Sol's attention on the twin angels.  
“Of course.”  
Both of them stepped forward and began growing into their true sizes.  
“Obsidian Angel have a natural ability to shapeshift, most can only change their size though. It's an ability commonly used to alter our size to match those we are with, as a sign of respect.”  
“Oh, I see.”  
“Hugin and Munin here are average sized Obsidian Angels, some of the Highborn can grow about 50% larger.”  
“And even the highborn only grow to about half of Uncle Lucy's true height.”  
Emelie quipped when Lucifer didn't continue.  
“Indeed.”  
He stepped up into the middle of the garden and unleashed his true form.  
“Wow..!”  
When the black crown appeared Hugin and Munin both gasped softly and kneeled down with their wings spread in submission and their weapons at their side.  
  


Kneeling down between them Lucifer reached out and touched their mashen, and spoke their Obsidian names.  
“You do not need to submit to me when we are in private, and you never need to kneel before me, ever again.”  
With a flare of power a pair of circlets appeared in Lucifer's hand and he slowly reduced his size again  
“Rise and accept your place in the Hall of Lords. Munin amd Hugin of Imperial House Iouzar of the Obsidian Court.”  
House Iouzar already held a fairly good position, being allowed to claim the Obsidian Realm as their origin, but with Lucifer's announcement they were elevated to being royalty.  
Both angels instantly rose and bowed their heads to him and he carefully placed the light, but fairly intricate, circlets on their heads, then with a tiny spark of power made them vanish.  
“I will announce the new position of House Iouzar formally once this spectacle is done with.”  
Neither Hugin nor Munin answered him other than with a series of involuntary chirps, then moments later Hugin fled into his raven form, but before he could fly at Takeshi Lucifer flared his aura and called for him in the obsidian language.  
There was a slightly hesitant caw, then Hugin landed on Lucifer's shoulder and began worrying his ear, too deep in the animal instincts to care beyond the fact that his perch was someone he trusted.

“I intend to announce Houses Shamarai, Miri, and Imora as Imperial Allies as well.”  
Another pulse of power and he held a stack of simpler circlets which he began handing out to the pack, then each of the betas received a slightly more elaborate one, and Ylian's even more so due to their position as the head of House Imora.  
Emelie was presented with a circlet in a similar style as Ylian, but altered to fit with her crown of horns and once done Lucifer turned to Takeshi.  
“I would have preferred to offer you the position of First Consort, but we both know that your sense of duty would make the weight of the duties of First Consort far too heavy. So instead I would offer you this.”  
Lucifer held out a somewhat more intricate circlet.  
  


“Shamarai-yemo, will you accept the position of _Amiara Yalii_?”  
“I'm sorry, I don't know what that means.”  
“Amiara Yalii roughly translates as _Most beloved flower_, and it's the title given to a lord's favorite concubine, second in rank only to the Imperial Consort, but without the duties.”  
Ylian spoke up when Lucifer didn't.  
“I don't need any titles, but if you want to add formalities, I'll suffer the hassle.”  
Takeshi's smile was teasing, but his aura was sharp, telling everyone he was dead serious about accepting what Lucifer offered him.  
The kiss that followed echoed through the bonds and left everyone gasping for air.  
“If only you were mine...”  
Lucifer spoke softly as he placed the circlet on Takeshi and made it vanish as he had done with the others.  
“Don't worry, we will share him. And I have no doubt that once we find your soulmate they will be more than willing to share as well, there is no way someone who is your true match wouldn't.”  
“...”  
Lucifer was silent for a moment, then he kissed Emelie softly.  
“Thank you.”  
“What about the rest of us?”  
The teasing question made Lucifer smile, and kiss them all in turn, Linnéa and Sol included.

“My my, Sol, you seem to have quite an appetite.”  
The way Sol had returned the kiss had everyone snickering and teasing.  
“I believe you will enjoy the demon realm, maybe train under Lilith for a while, learn all the tricks of the trade for a seductress. You seem like the type to put great value on the empowerment of a female.”  
“You really think **she** would be willing to teach me?”  
“I think so. You have just the kind of personality she likes.”  
“I would really love that, she seemed like a lot of fun.”  
“Oh she can be quite entertaining, and quite insane. With our lifespans we need ways to entertain ourselves and Lilith is very inventive.”  
Motioning for the others to gather around Lucifer began telling stories about Lilith, and all the crazy stunts she had pulled to entertain herself.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Challenges_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


They didn't get much time to relax though and soon they found themselves before the Grand Council and Lilith demanded silence before speaking up.  
The large courtroom style hall was packed with demons and Takeshi could feel that many of his friends and allies were there.  
He was unable to focus on them though as the entire room was simmering with energy and he needed to be alert in case someone tried something.

“The Lords of the Grand Tribunal have reviewed the petition of House Trzgght of the Blue Sands in regard to House Shamarai of the Silver Lakes' claim to the possessions of former House Miara of the Blue Sands as well as the marking and banishment of the tharas Arath, born to former House Miara of the Blue Sands.”  
Lilith's massive aura was unfurled and it was bearing down on the individuals standing before the council, but to Takeshi it felt good, reassuring, while he could tell that the representatives for House Trzgght were intensely uncomfortable.  
“We have found no violations of demon law. The challenge was witnessed by Lord Lucifer as well as several other demons, who have all borne witness to the events, verifying that Takeshi, Alpha of Pack Kiryu acted in accordance with the Law of the Land when he killed the Yemo of former House Miara.”  
There was a surge of emotions through the collected auras, relief, and anger at the forefront.  
“And it is by your own laws, the laws of the Blue Sands, and the laws of the Night demons that all possessions of former House Mira was transferred into the possession of Takeshi.”  
With a sharp flare of her aura Lilith told everyone she was done speaking, and that her ruling was final, before nodding to Lucifer that it was his turn.

“It witnessed the events that led to Arath being marked as tharas and banished. Had the Shamarai-Yemo not stepped up and done it himself I would have. The rape of a youth who has yet to go through the Arashiri is punishable by death in the Obsidian Halls.”  
There was a strong surge of rage and revulsion through the hall as most demon cultures abhorred the thought of the rape of a minor.  
“Had it not been for the power of Shadow-travel possessed by the Imora-yemi and Miri-yema, Arath would have succeeded. It was the duty of the Yemo of his current house, the Yemo of House Shamarai of the Silver Lakes, to mark him and banish him.”  
Lucifer made it perfectly clear that he not only backed and agreed with Takeshi's actions but would have done the deed himself if Takeshi hadn't, something that didn't go over too well with those present from the Blue Sands, where such an act at most would have been a slight against the girl's father.  
But most were wise enough to mind themselves in the face of the intense approval radiating from the gathered demons.

The representative for House Trzgght however seemed to feel confident in being safe from repercussions in his position in front of the Grand Tribunal and began to rant, questioning how Takeshi had acquired his House, questioning is worthiness of having a house, or a pack at all.  
“A House needs a proper Yemo, what kind of weaklings would willingly accept such a Limp-dicked Omega as thei...”  
He never finished what he was about to say as Takeshi responded to the insult, and thinly veiled threat to his chosen family, the only way he could under demon law, by ripping the offender's head from his body.  
He didn't even bother to draw either of his blades, instead he used raw strength and sharp claws to do what had to be done, not that he would mourn the death of that particular fool.  
There was a moment of outrage among those who backed House Trzgght but the members of the Grand Tribunal barely even blinked, and moments later the Herald demanded silence before Lucifer spoke.

“I granted Takeshi-yemo House Shamarai, the Spirit of Hope, on the merits of Heart and Honor, but as you can see, he does not lack in power or strength to protect what is his.”  
Lucifer spoke with a strong sense of pride, letting everyone know why he had granted Takeshi a House.  
“And I granted him the Silver Lakes as the domain of House Shamarai on those very same merits. Knowing well that he could easily get his way by killing instead of talking, such a deeply rooted neutral territory suits his desire to solve grievances without loss of life.”  
Lilith's addition left the giant hall in stunned silence as she made a sweeping motion toward the body and turned to Takeshi.  
“Shamarai-yemo, would you please clean up after yourself. And don't let those precious metals go to waste.”  
“As you wish Lilith-etira.”  
Takeshi could feel the hint of teasing amusement in her aura, and her eyes were sparkling with mischief so he walked up to the corpse and removed the rather gaudy jewelry, then he summoned the Kiryu Shadowfire and removed every trace of the demon.  
Stepping up to Lilith he offered her the rather substantial pile of jewelry, rare demon metals and stones worth a not so small fortune.  
“Perhaps our dear Lady would like to give these a form that does them justice? A form to match her own beauty.”  
He allowed his aura to unfurl, allowing those near to feel him, feel that his words, while teasing, were honest praise and not an attempt at flattery.  
“Oh, don't mind if I do.”  
She took the offered items with a brilliant smile and was about to say something, but a stir of voices from behind Takeshi interrupted them as a group of demons executed a joint attack going for the members of his pack.

Things didn't go as the attackers had planned though, Takeshi and the others were ready for them to try something of the sort and when the attackers demanded that Takeshi surrendered his position, and all of House Shamarai, to them he just smiled.  
“I may be the strongest fighter of House Shamarai, and I may prefer to be the one to do all the fighting, but that however does not mean they are unable to fight, or kill. They are my guardians as much as I am theirs.”  
The way Takeshi specified House Shamarai made Ylian, Hugin, Munin and Emelie smile, as neither of them were solely House Shamarai.  
A gentle tug on their bonds was their signal to act, and before long their attackers were defeated, and almost all of them dead, the only one still alive was the young male who had been foolish enough to grab Isabelle, though, based on the way Jenna's aura was flaring it wouldn't last long.  
In preparation for the possibility that they would be attacked they had spoken to the Mother about unsealing Isabelle's venom stinger, giving her access to the paralytic venom.  
With the help of the Mother, the power of the blessing, and the guidance of her parents, they had unlocked the ability for her to shift the bone spur into the stinger when in danger.  
The sting had left the demon completely paralyzed and now Jenna had shifted and was circling closer, her own stinger weeping with venom, but a far deadlier concoction that she had developed while pregnant.

“Hold back, Sphynx females are quite deadly if provoked, and few things provoke them quite like a threat to their cubs.”  
Lilith cautioned everyone to stay back as Jenna inspected Isabelle, her tail, and its stinger poised to strike.  
A soft whimper, and a tiny drop of blood from where Isabelle had been nicked by a sharp claw sealed the fate of the paralyzed demon, with lightning speed and impeccable accuracy Jenna's stinger struck true, injecting a small, but deadly, dose of venom.  
Moments later she had shifted back to a somewhat more human form, but she still had her wings and tail, and was rushing toward Takeshi with Isabelle in her arms.  
“She's hurt...”  
“Easy love, it's just a nick, and I can't sense any venom or other impurities. She's probably just too scared to heal it.”  
Leaning in Takeshi gently licked at the small cut, instantly healing it and calming both cub and mother down.

He had found quite some time ago that shock or fear could prevent the healing of minor injuries, and in someone as young and immature as Isabelle not healing a small injury could also be an instinctual act to ensure the attention of the adults._  
_

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Challenges_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“As you all witnessed, the members of House Shamarai are quite capable of defending themselves.”  
There was a soft hum flowing through the grand hall as all auras in the audience folded under the weight of Lilith's, all save for those of House Shamarai who stood unbothered by the raw power of Lilith.  
“Now if we are quite done with this display of foolishness, Lucifer-etiro has some announcements to make.”  
The silence that followed felt even sharper as the auras gathered were brimming with curiosity as Lucifer rose.

“House Iouzar of the Obsidian Realm, please rise and approach.”  
Hugin and Munin quickly approached, and soon they were joined by a somewhat petite female who had to be their mother, and she looked very confused as she kneeled down between her sons.  
“The twins sons of House Iouzar of the Obsidian Realm have proven themselves to possess great Honor, Courage, Skill and Power.”  
All three angels blushed pure black at Lucifer's praise.  
“In light of that I have chosen to add the name of Iouzar to the Hall of Lords.”  
Stepping up to them he gave Hugin and Munin a kiss on the forehead, activating the circlets, then he turned to their mother and placed a similar, but simpler, circlet on her head.  
“Rise, and accept your place in the Hall of Lords, Imperial House Iouzar of the Obsidian Court.”  
Hugin and Munin quickly rose, and moments later their mother showed where Hugin got his favorite coping mechanism from as she turned into a raven and landed on Munin's shoulder and began worrying his ear.  
“Mother..!”  
For once Munin was the one blushing pure black as Hugin came to his rescue, nudging their mother to come to him before walking up to Takeshi and holding her out to him.  
“Please, will you look after Mother?”  
“Of course love.”  
Reaching out he invited the angel turned raven to perch on his shoulder.  
“Don't worry Mother, he actually enjoys having his ear worried, makes him feel needed.”  
Once his mother was perching comfortably on Takeshi's shoulder Hugin rejoined his brother, and together they stepped back up to Lucifer as they had not yet been dismissed.

“House Shamarai of the Silver Lakes, please, approach, all of you.”  
Once all of them stood before Lucifer he stepped down toward them, reducing his size as he did.  
“You have all proven yourself to possess the same Honor and Strength of Heart as your Yemo, and in light of that I hereby announce House Shamarai of the Silver Lakes as Allies to the Obsidian Empire.”  
Starting with the lowest ranked member of House Shamarai, Isabelle, Lucifer gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, revealing the circlet he had placed there before.  
Isabelle just hissed and swatted playfully at him which he retaliated to by gently tapping her nose.  
“Sweet little Belle, all courage and heart, you will no doubt grow up to be a magnificent Sphynx one day.”  
Picking the playful cub up he handed her to Jenna before moving to the next person in rank.  
By the time he offered Emelie her more elaborate circlet Hugin and Munin's mother had calmed down and returned to her true form, leaving Takeshi's shoulder free once again._  
_

“Takeshi-Yemo...”  
“Lucifer-Etiro...”  
Lucifer walked around him before returning to stand in front of him, then his wings flickered slightly, and moved into a slightly less dominant position.  
“Will you accept a place at my side as Amiara Yalii?”  
“I will.”  
Reaching out he brushed his hand against Lucifer's face, an act that caused a collective gasp in the crowd.  
“As long as you will have me, or until the day you are called by the Simiriwi ai Shaiil.”  
Takeshi's addition held a slightly teasing hint that made Lucifer grin at him.  
“Oh, you would still be my Amiara Yalii.”  
When Lucifer leaned in and claimed a searing kiss the gathered demons finally reacted, realizing that Lucifer was not pulling some kind of a joke, and Takeshi could feel that Lucifer had more planned._  
__“Take, I want you to mark me. Place a proper claim. Show everyone that __**I**__ am the one who submits to __**you**__.”__  
_A feeling, and a flicker of an image accompanied the words of the bonds._  
__“Your mashen, are you sure?”  
“What better way to show my trust, and submission?”_  
Takeshi huffed slightly, knowing full well that Lucifer didn't actually submit, he merely suppressed his own dominant nature in order for them to be able to be intimate.

When Lucifer broke off the kiss Takeshi straightened his shoulders and began moving around him, and once behind him he leaned in and kissed his mashen, and when the wings spread in submission he bit down, leaving a shamarai clearly visible between his shoulder blades, just above the mashen.  
There was a strong surge of surprise and confusion as Lucifer seemingly submitted to Takeshi, but then Lilith's aura exploded out across the hall, simmering with approval and soon that feeling began to dominate the crowd. _  
_ _ “You just made my life more complicated...” _ _  
_ Takeshi complained silently, but at the same time he allowed his happiness and joy to flood the bonds, along with love and desire. _  
_ _ “Don't worry, it's a respectable position, and the only duty involved is to do what you already do, offer me companionship, warm by bed, be a confidant.”  
“And when someone decides they are better suited for it and try to challenge me for it?”  
“That's the beauty of it, it's not a position that can be won by challenge, it can only be granted by me.” _ _  
_ Takeshi huffed softly, he was not convinced it would be as trouble free as Lucifer believed, the Fates enjoyed messing with him far too much for that. _  
_ _ “Remains to be seen...” _ _  
_ He huffed softly.

“Iouzar-ieri!”  
Lucifer's voice was sharp, all Lord again and Hugin and Munin instantly stepped forward.  
“You are hereby assigned the duty of Honor Guard to the Amiara Yalii, and with that, the position and authority of an Imperial Blood Guard.”  
Both angels instantly straightened up and assumed the usual posture of an Obsidian Guard and presented Lucifer with their blades.  
Part of becoming Blood Guard was a blood oath, where both guard and master drew blood from each other using the obsidian blades carried not only by Lucifer, but all of his guards.

Takeshi's own experience told him that the obsidian blades carried by the twins changed as they came in contact with Lucifer's blood, altering their nature from just being demon forged obsidian, into blood stone.  
Then, in a flash of understanding he realized that Lucifer's own blade was blood stone as well, the combination of his own blood and the blood of his Blood Guard, it would seem Lucifer's aura usually hid its true nature.  
The realization only deepened Takeshi's appreciation and regard for the Blood Guard, they acted not only as guards and pack for Lucifer, buy gave their own blood to strengthen his blade.  
Keeping his aura calm he carefully reached out toward not just Hugin and Munin, but the rest of the Blood Guard, and allowed pride and gratitude to brush against them, and the response from the other guards was first surprise, then amusement and approval.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Challenges_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


With Lucifer's announcement of the twins' new position done Lilith had stepped up and ended the meeting of the Grand Tribunal, and they all retreated to one of her private gardens, one large enough to comfortably hold not just Takeshi and his chosen family and their extended family, but the entire Blood Guard as well.

“It's good to finally get to meet you.”  
Takeshi greeted Hugin and Munin's mother in the Obsidian language which earned him a somewhat surprised warble.  
“You speak the language quite well for someone who's not an Obsidian Angel.”  
“Loving your son, who has inherited your coping mechanism, I have had good reason to learn.”  
The teasing quip made her laugh, then switch to Urui.  
“My son has chosen well.”  
“I'd like to think so.”  
He kept his tone light and teasing, testing her tolerance for his antics and so far she just laughed and shook her head at him.  
“I have a lot to thank you for. Your sons have become treasured friends, and family.”  
“No, I should be the one thanking you. I have never seen them this happy. I was starting to worry...”  
When she began smelling of tears Takeshi wrapped his arms around her and held her close.  
“You should be proud, you have raised a pair of wonderful sons.”  
“...”  
“Meeting you I can see where they got their beauty, and heart, from.”  
He could feel her blushing slightly and a moment later he felt twin smacks at the back of the head as Hugin and Munin used their wings to voice their complaints about him hugging and teasing their mother.  
“Aw, why did you have to hit me?”  
“Because you hit on our Mother.”  
Munin mock scolded.  
“Come on guys, I'm just saying hello...”  
“Sure, sure.”  
Munin made it quite clear he didn't believe a word Takeshi was saying.  
“Be careful with this one, he's a notorious flirt and and will try to get anyone he likes in bed.”  
Hugin joined the teasing by warning his mother about Takeshi's ways, but Takeshi just ignored them and kept talking to their mother._  
_

“By the way, we have taken to calling your sons Hugin and Munin, is there a name we may call you that is easier for us to pronounce than your Obsidian name?”  
The contemplative silence told Takeshi she probably hadn't picked a name for herself.  
“You may call call me Reilin.”  
“Like the bird?”  
“Yes.”  
“A very fitting name.”  
Reilin blushed for a moment, then she huffed, slapped his arm and voiced a somewhat annoyed chirp, accusing him of empty flattery.

The _ Reilin _ was a demonic version of a red-winged blackbird, the main difference was their size, and that the sexual dimorphism was reversed, in the reilin the females sported the bright red shoulders and yellow wing bars while the male was a mottled dark brown.  
The female reilin also had brightly colored tail feathers, like those of a female Eclectus parrot, bright yellow at the tips, gradually turning to an equally bright red toward the base.  
And they were famous for defending their nests and chicks with extreme aggression, not hesitating to attack, and sometimes kill, predators several times their size.

“I was referring to how protective the female reilin are of their offspring, willing to face down any danger to protect them. But you have a point, they are also extraordinarily beautiful creatures.”  
When she glared at him Munin stepped in with a laugh.  
“Like we said, he's a notorious flirt. But he is also honest, almost to a fault, he will not lie, or spew empty compliments to get what he wants.”  
Now it was Takeshi's turn to huff and grumble and pretend to be very interested in the scolding Lucifer was receiving from the Commander of the Blood Guard, the female angel acting very much like a co-alpha, and her seconds were backing her up without hesitation.  
They were reading him the riot act for making his announcements without letting them know what he was about to do, the guards that had been assigned to him when he told Takeshi and the others some of his plans had been made to wait outside.  
The way they looked and acted just like a pack made Takeshi chuckle, then break down laughing, instantly earning everyone's attention.

“Never let anyone say you don't have a pack.”  
The questioning look he received made him laugh harder.  
“If that little show there wasn't a co-alpha scolding the dominant alpha, backed by the betas, I don't know what is.”  
The Commander instantly broke into a smile, then nailed Lucifer with a solid glare, her entire posture screaming_ Damned Straight!_ making it perfectly clear she agreed with, and approved of, Takeshi's assessment of their behavior, and was now demanding that Lucifer acknowledge it as well.  
“Okay, fine, I'm sorry. I should have told you what I was planning...”  
There was a hint of a teasing tone in his voice, but his aura was sharp as steel, letting them all know that he accepted things for what they were, but had no intention of allowing the balance of power to shift.  
“I'm sorry I blindsided you with this, but to be honest, I hadn't planned on doing this today.”  
He offered them all a proper apology before continuing.  
“With everything that happened today I got a strong feeling that it had to be done now, the kind of feeling I have learned to trust.”  
“The Fates...”  
Takeshi huffed softly.  
“Indeed.”  
Lucifer sighed deeply, then motioned for everyone to gather around and have a seat._  
_

“Reilin, come, make yourself comfortable.”  
Takeshi offered Reilin a spot in the middle of the gathering pile.  
“We don't bite.”  
Ylian promised with a smile.  
“Not unless you want us to.”  
Takeshi quipped, making Reilin blush pure black and smack him with her wing.  
“Ow... Meanie...”  
The wide smile belied the grumbled complaints, and the smile grew even wider when she accepted the offered spot, then proceeded to grab her sons and stuff the grumbling and squirming pair under her wings much to everyone's amusement.  
When she started sifting through the feathers of their wings, carefully preening them, the energy shifted from amusement into something that could best be described as a sigh and a _How cute _which made the twin angels grumble and complain even more, but never once did they try to stop her.  
The way Reilin relaxed and her energy shifted into something calm and very happy as she sifted through their feathers, finding them in excellent condition and not needing preening was telling, she could tell that they both now had others whom they accepted preening them.

Lucifer waited for everyone to settle down, and for the mother of the young twins to finish preening them, allowing her joy at finding them well cared for to soothe everyone's instincts.  
“I know my somewhat rushed and selfish actions will cause all kinds of trouble and extra work for all of us, but I felt it could not wait. And I hope you will forgive me.”  
“Hmpf.”  
“Forget it!”  
“Nuh uh!”  
“Not getting off that easy!”  
The auras and bonds radiated forgiveness as they all offered teasing refusal.  
“Thank you, all of you...”  
For a moment Lucifer was silent, basking in the bonds, then he shook his head slightly and a rustle in his wings told them he was centering himself.

“With my announcement there are a few things that needs to be done. For starters, House Iouzar will receive quarters within the Imperial Wing, and I believe our young twins would be very happy if their Mother would accept housing there, and return to the Obsidian Halls.”  
Reilin's mood instantly changed and sadness became evident in her aura.  
“I can't Etiro. I can never return to the Obsidian Halls.”  
“And why is that?”  
“If I return they will challenge me, and my sons' right to House Iouzar.”  
“On what grounds?”  
Lucifer knew about her killing their father to protect them, he had read the report when it happened, but he wanted to hear her thoughts on the matter.  
He squirmed for a bit, but when he allowed his aura to flare slightly she stopped and answered him.  
“I did not kill him in challenge or fair combat. I killed him in his sleep.”  
When she fell silent Lucifer called her by name, making her startle slightly.  
“Please Etiro, for the sake of my sons' new family, would you call me Reilin?”  
“Of course Reilin. And please, you are family now, there is no need for titles while we are in private.”  
“I will try...”  
“Good.”  
Lucifer waited patiently for her to calm down a bit before continuing.

“Just like your namesake, you acted to protect your sons, you went up against a far stronger opponent using the only means you had at your disposal, the element of surprise. There is no shame, no fault in that.”  
“Others will not agree...”  
“They will have no choice after I issue an Imperial Order, officially clearing you of all and any blame or fault in regards to the death of your mate. And present you with a commendation for the courage with which you protected your sons.”  
Reilin's face instantly darkened, and moments later a raven fled to a nearby small tree.  
“Ssh, come here, it's okay.”  
Lucifer gently called for her and was met by some rather defiant caws.  
“She is definitely her sons' mother...”  
The amused quip earned him another annoyed caw, but that didn't deter him and soon Reilin landed on his offered arm.  
“Maybe I should make a new annex to the Hall of Heroes, the Reilin Grove, a place for the names of parents who have shown unusual courage and disregard for their own well being in the protection of their offspring.”  
Reilin's surprised chirp made everyone smile, and agree with Lucifer.  
“That sounds like an excellent idea, I'm sure Nana would be delighted to back such an endeavor.”  
Emelie spoke without hesitation.  
“I believe even the Mother herself could be convinced to aid such a thing.”_  
_Takeshi's voice was a bit more diplomatic, but moments later the voice of the Avatar in question carried through Hrafn._  
__**“If my fellow Avatars decides to create such a place I would gladly offer a Seed and make it a proper Sanctuary of the Mother, and to grow a tree which will carry all the names among it's flowers, and whisper them on the winds.”**__  
_“Then so be it Prime of Life, I will make the arrangements once I return to my own domain.”_  
_Turning his attention back to the raven in his lap Lucifer brushed his fingers through her feathers and with a small spark of power he pushed the animal instincts back a bit.  
“So, Reilin of the Imperial House Iouzar of the Obsidian Court, will you return to your rightful place within the Obsidian Halls?”  
“I will...”  
Her emotions were all over the place, but she agreed to return, and once she had Lucifer gently nudged her to move over to Takeshi's shoulder, well aware of how caring for an agitated raven made him feel.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Challenges_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Take, how long can you stay this time?”  
Lucifer's voice carried quite a bit of emotion as he moved on to the next topic that needed to be handled, Takeshi and House Shamarai.  
“We have planned for an extended stay, a year or more away from the human realm, but we really need to handle a few more things back in the human realm before we commit to that.”  
“Can you at least remain away from the human realm a week or two?”  
“Yeah, we can, we have alerted our allies there that we might be away for a while. I would very much like it though, if you could allow me the use of an Imperial Courier so I can send a proper message letting them know what has happened. The Tailiz can only carry short messages.”  
Takeshi had left the messenger bird in Hawaii, that way he could use the bird left with Seia to send messages in a less tiring way than mist travel.  
“Of course. Just let me know when your message is ready and I'll call for a courier.”  
“Thanks.”  
Takeshi could feel that Lucifer wasn't done talking, so he settled back down.

“Today, House Shamarai was forced to defend themselves, and all members save for little Belle killed to do so. Such acts are not without consequence, even when acting in self defense or during a formal challenge.”  
Lucifer radiated a sense of calm and his voice was soft, but there was steel hidden beneath.  
“You have done no wrong, but under demon law killing someone who has challenged you means that what was theirs is now yours. And as most of these were nigh-demons of the Blue Sands, that includes their mates and children.”  
“But...”  
“We're too young to take a mate.”  
“Won't they become tharas then?”  
Iðunn and Eir spoke up, remembering the story of how Takeshi had won Seia in challenge.  
“Normally yes, but since most of you are very young, either too young, or have recently been through your arashiri, there are ways around it. This incident is also of unusual scale, so the Lords of the Grand Tribunal will step in and assist, making sure that the mates and daughters won't end up suffering.”  
“What about the sons?”  
“They will be taken in by relatives without complaints.”  
Lucifer's angry trill as he spoke echoed through the Blood Guard, and distaste was obvious in their auras.  
“Uhm, I'm sorry, but I don't understand...”  
Linnéa's voice was trembling slightly, she could feel the anger and revulsion, but she didn't know about the ways of the Blue sands.  
“Take?”  
It was not an easy topic, so Lucifer left it up to Takeshi to determine how much to tell her.  
“I think we better just tell her everything.”  
“Okay.”

By the time they were done explaining about the ways of the Blue Sands Linnéa was curled into Takeshi side, sobbing softly and her pain at what she had been told tore at everyone, Sol however was furious and her temper made her new power wash over them.  
None of them objected though, instead they they basked in the feeling, and auras rose in response, brimming with approval and agreement, letting her know they felt the same way about it.  
With one last sob Linnéa rose slowly, then walked over to Sorcha and gave her a tight hug before moving on to Seia and her daughters, hugging each of them tightly, then she stopped in front of Toben and leveled him with a wilting glare and flexed her claws, which were now gleaming with power.  
“If you ever do anything like that I will claw your eyes out of your head!”  
Her voice was cold and brimming with the power of her conviction.  
“I won't. I swear.”  
Toben's stay with Lilith in the Eternal Darkness had cured him of the ways of the Blue Sands.

“I don't want to be part of the Blue Sands but it's the best place for making Snow Pearl Silk.”  
“Toben, you don't have to go into the silk trade if you don't want to.”  
Takeshi quickly reassured the somewhat distraught boy.  
“But I do...”  
“Then you will. And you can make your own impression on the Blue Sands, maybe help show their females that there are other ways of living.”  
“I need to be stronger to do that!”  
“Indeed, and if you train hard, the way I showed you, you will be.”  
“But!”  
Toben objected, he had complained more than once that Takeshi's training regime was too slow.  
“It's slow, I know. But you have time.”  
Takeshi didn't want to rush things, Night-demons developed slowly and he wanted to make sure Toben's mind, body and spirit developed in sync, making sure he wouldn't access more of the power in his soul than he could handle.  
“But I want to help them now!”  
“I know, and I understand that it makes you frustrated But sometimes you have bare with the pain of not being able to do anything, in order to be able to make a real difference later.”  
“I guess...”  
Takeshi took a moments to sift through Toben's aura, he was being unusually stubborn.

“Toben, is there someone in particular you want to help? Someone who needs help urgently?”  
The soft nod was accompanied by a soft sniffle and the scent of unshed tears.  
“Go on, tell me.”  
With one last sniffle Toben began talking again, and told them of a young girl he would see quite a lot at the silk farm, helping her mother pick the mature cocoons.  
“They are going to make her go through the arashiri on her next birthday...”  
“That's extremely young, even for the Blue Sands...”  
Lucifer pointed out that the girl was clearly too young to even consider the arashiri.  
Toben continued to tell them that the male picked to be her guide, and mate once done, was a bastard, even for a Blue Sands male.  
“He is feared by all the females, not only is he very large, but he is very rough, and does not care if he hurts them.”  
Seia's addition caused another sure of rage.  
“Take, we need to find a way to prevent that...”  
“I know...”  
Takeshi sighed deeply.  
“Maybe if we talk to Nana? Invite her to see the silk production, introduce her to the girl and maybe she could hint at wanting her to come to the Eternal Night as a personal servant.”  
“That would definitely be tempting to most Blue Sands Houses, if she agrees.”  
“She better!”  
Emelie's aura was sharp with determination, telling them she would do everything she could to make damned sure Lilith helped them.

“We need to go to the Blue Sands anyway, there are a lot of assets we need to secure, and decide what to do with.”  
Everyone started groaning and grumbling, visiting the Blue Sands was not one of their favorite things.  
“I hate going there.”  
Amanda made her feelings perfectly clear.  
“Yeah, it sucks...”  
Dan agreed.  
“At least they don't treat you guys like livestock...”  
Amber snapped at Dan.  
“No, but they constantly expect us to treat females the way they do. Or push females on us to try to garner our favor.”  
Dan calmly explained it from his point of view and how it made him feel and Takeshi nodded his agreement, as did Ylian who was usually treated as a male by the Blue Sands.  
“I'm sorry, I didn't think of that...”  
“It's okay Amber. The Blue Sands makes all of us uncomfortable.”  
“Do we really have to go?”  
“I'm afraid so.”  
Everyone sighed, but accepted the necessity to handle the fallout from the events at the Tribunal.

Lilith had been more than happy to assist them once they had explained the situation and together with her, Lucifer, and several Blood Guards they left for the Blue Sands early the following morning.  
In the end most of the females gained through the challenges had been gifted to Lilith, it was an arrangement that none of the Blue Sands dared object to, and it would ensure that they were treated well, educated, and given every opportunity to shape their own future.

It took them just under a week, human realm time, to complete what they needed and the moment they did they prepared to head back home.  
“We will make the preparations for our extended stay, and we will still drop by every red moon.”  
Takeshi gently nudged his pack toward the door while saying his own goodbyes at the same time.  
“You will be missed.”  
Lucifer offered the usual farewell.  
“As will you.”  
The kiss that followed flooded the bonds with emotions, leaving everyone somewhat flustered.  
“That is so damned hot...”  
Linnéa's soft sigh earned her a few teasing quips.  
“You can have one too if you want to.”  
Lucifer's teasing offer made Linnéa blush brilliant red, then nod slightly which made Lucifer move over to her and carefully cup her face and give her a soft kiss.  
“You will be missed as well.”  
“I'll miss this place too...”  
It wasn't exactly the traditional answer, but Lucifer didn't pay it any mind and accepted it for what it was, Linnéa would need more time to adjust.

“Okay, get your asses moving!”  
As usual Emelie was the one to finally get people moving while Takeshi kept coming back for more.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Challenges_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Welcome back everyone.”  
Angel greeted them the moment they stepped through the mist.  
“Thank you Angel.”  
“It's good to be back.”  
Greetings were quickly exchanged as they headed to the house to visit Red and the others for a while.

“Did anything interesting happen while we were away?”  
Takeshi took a moment to if Angel had anything to report.  
“Mandrake has completed the core prototype and we are ready to begin testing it.”  
“That is very good news. Would you like me to be there for the tests?”  
“Please...”  
“A bit scared are we?”  
Takeshi teased softly, urging her to speak up about the fears he knew she had.  
“Yeah, a bit.”  
“It's okay, it's a big step for you. A rebirth of sorts.”  
“I think it's a bit like when you give someone the blessing.”  
“You're right, it is. It's a big change that opens up a whole new world to explore.”  
He gently tapped the drone at his shoulder and when it bumped into his shoulder in response he leaned into the touch slightly, causing proximity alarms to go off.  
“Soon sweetie, soon.”  
The first thing Takeshi intended to do if the tests were even remotely successful was to give Angel a proper hug.

“Take!”  
Once they made it to the house Takeshi found himself knocked to the floor as Jackal slammed into him.  
“Hello love...”  
He grumbled and allowed Jackal to have his way for a moment before flipping them over and giving his ear a nip, followed by a searing kiss.  
“How many hot guy lovers do you have?”  
Linnéa huffed as she watched Takeshi kiss yet another hot male senseless.  
“I'm pretty sure you have met them all now.”  
Takeshi quipped while pulling Jackal to his feet, then pushing him into Dan's arms which triggered another kiss, though not quite as aggressive.  
“Dan, not you too...”  
“Sorry Linn.”  
Once he broke the kiss of Dan offered her a teasing quip of his own.

“Would someone care to explain?”  
Jackal was very confused by the way Linnéa seemed to object to seeing them kiss, and the teasing way they reacted.  
“Linn here has a major thing for seeing two hot guys kiss.”  
Iðunn answered the question, before turning on her friend for some extra teasing.  
“Oh, I see. I guess she will be seeing plenty of that from now on.”  
“Indeed she will.”  
Ylian took the opportunity to get a quick kiss as well, making Jackal huff and Linnéa groan.  
There was a flicker of amusement and curiosity, then a sudden shift in Hiroto's aura as Roto snatched control and a moment later Jackal found himself once again being kissed.  
“Roto..!”  
“I can see why everyone wants to kiss you... You taste really good.”  
He leaned back in for another kiss, but this time he was able to control himself and wait for permission, and with a sigh Jackal gave in and kissed him in return.  
“I can't tell if Take is a bad influence on you, or a good one.”  
Jackal was huffing and complaining, but the soft smile as he pulled back told everyone he didn't mind, he had gotten quite used to the casual intimacies of Takeshi and his family.

“Aw, no kiss for me Roto?”  
Dan's mock complaint instantly rewarded him with a proper smooch, then Roto followed up by giving everyone a kiss, though he did manage to be mindful of their reactions, and adapt his actions to not overstep.  
He was a bit unsure about Sol and Linnéa though as they didn't carry any marks to indicate they were pack, so they only got a quick peck on the forehead.  
“You handled that really well Roto.”  
Takeshi praised him, and gave him a soft kiss.  
“Is Hiro listening, or did you knock him out again when taking control like that?”  
It wasn't uncommon for Hiro to be temporarily put out of commission when Roto took over suddenly and forcefully as he had just done.  
“He's listening, I was careful.”  
“That's good. Your control is getting better.”  
“It's really hard sometimes, but I try my best.”  
“I know you do Roto. And you are doing really well.”  
“Yeah, you're doing great!”  
Several voices rose in agreement, and all the auras present carried approval and praise for Roto, which made him a bit over emotional which made for a pretty sudden resurfacing of Hiro.  
“Be nice to him, you guys know how emotional he gets.”  
“We know Hiro, but he deserves every bit of that praise.”

“Red, there is something I would like to talk to you guys about.”  
Takeshi motioned for everyone to head to the inner garden.  
“Oh, sounds ominous.”  
“Nothing bad, I promise.”  
Once everyone had made themselves comfortable Takeshi turned to Sonya and her unit.  
“As I have already mentioned, we are planning an extended stay in the demon realm, a year, maybe more.”  
“Yeah, you have mentioned that.”  
“I was hoping you would be willing to spare Jackal during that time, and Jackal, I was hoping you would come with us.”  
“That's a pretty big...”  
“I know, that's why I'm telling you now, we won't be leaving for another month or so.”  
“We will think about it, talk it through and all that, but it will have to be a unanimous decision.”  
“I know. I wouldn't want it any other way, you are a family after all.”  
“Damn straight we are!”  
TamTam didn't hesitate to claim his fellow mercenaries as family.

“I have an announcement as well while we are here.”  
The silence was instant and he had everyone's undivided attention.  
“Mandrake has completed the prototype for Angel's new body, so I will be going there Monday morning to keep her company, and offer moral support during the initial tests.”  
“Oh that's great news!”  
“Nice!”  
“Hope the tests go well.”  
“Can we be there too?”  
Sarah and Maria were eager to see the body that had been made for Angel.  
“Yeah. I think I would like if everyone was there, all of my family...”  
“Angel, are you scared?”  
“Yeah...”  
“Don't worry, we will be there.”  
“Doesn't matter what happens we will still be there.”  
“Yeah, even if it doesn't work this time we will never stop trying.”  
“Thanks guys...”  
The holographic projection was sniffling and all teary-eyed, making all of them want to hug her, and they told her as much.

“If the tests goes well, can I come with you to the demon realm?”  
Angel's question threw Takeshi off for a moment.  
“Of course sweetie. That's one of the main reasons why we are making it for you. I, we, want you to be able to be part of everything we do.”  
“Oh...”  
A moment later her projection was replaced with the galaxy projection that she used when she needed to think, or just didn't want to interact for some reason.  
“You make sure to take the time you need to think things over. We will be here if you need anything.”  
For a moment the spinning galaxy turned, and one of the arms brushed against him, then it resumed its normal pattern.

“I was also thinking we should go visit Meg and see if she and her pack would like to come with us.”  
“Will that be safe for the little ones?”  
“Yeah it will.”

Meghan had carried her litter to term without any issues, and as soon as she had recovered a bit from the birth they had given her the Blessing, and a Shadow seed, and no one had been the least bit surprised when her new form turned out to be that of a female umarita alpha.  
They had been somewhat more surprised though when she had become pregnant with another litter less than a year later and given birth to three more spawns early spring 2058.  
It had caused quite a stir as her second litter had been 3 females, something that was nearly unheard of in umarita, a normal litter was 3 spawns, with all male being the most common, then 2 male & 1 female, even getting 2 females was exceptionally rare.

Umarita had a significantly higher mortality rate in males, less than half of the males born survived to reproductive age, and despite that adult males outnumbered females 5 to 1.  
This made umarita males extremely protective of their females, and it also made sure there were almost never any competition between the females as there were plenty of males for them to choose from.  
The males were still the dominant ones, but their culture had developed to a point where the females were the ones who selected their mates and the males would go to extreme lengths to prove themselves worthy.  
Outright violence was fairly rare though as most females wouldn't pick an aggressive, or violent, male as they could pose a threat to any male offspring they had.  
For the most part the young males would end up getting killed while trying to prove themselves, either killed by dangerous prey they were trying to take down, or in various accidents while trying to prove their courage, strength or agility.

The fact that Meghan was soulmated, and spawning females, meant that she, and her pack, would be treated like royalty by other umarita.  
Any umarita they came across would give their lives to protect Meghan and Chagoo in hopes that she would keep spawning females, and they would protect her female spawns just as fervently, hoping that they would inherit that trait from their mother.

“Can we go see them right now?”  
“Yeah, we haven't seen the new spawns.”  
“I'll give her a call and see.”  
“Yay!”  
Not wanting to disturb Angel who was still showing her galaxy projection Takeshi picked up his phone and quickly found Meghan's number in the contact list.  
“Hello Meg. The pack and I was wondering if you're okay with us dropping by to let the others see your latest litter and have a bit of a chat.”  
After a quick conversation Takeshi had an invitation for him and the others to drop by, conditional on them bringing enough food to feed everyone.

“Meg said it's okay for us to drop by, if we help make food for everyone.”  
“Yay!”  
“Lets go!”  
“Hurry!”  
“Easy there, I promised we would bring plenty of food, so we will go down to the lagoon and catch some nice seafood first. They don't get much of that at the ranch.”  
“Oh, okay.”  
“Manda, can we come with you and catch lobsters?”  
Sarah and Maria instantly zeroed in on Amanda who usually did the lobster catching.  
“Of course, we'll see if Miri wants to join us as well, and if we're lucky Arc and the pups will be there too.”  
“I hope so.”  
“Yeah, we rarely get to see them...”  
The pack quickly agreed that would very much like to see Arc and her pups while they were there._  
_

“I think she will be there, she's been coming around every day now that the pups are better able to defend themselves. They usually shows up in the evening to swim with Miri and she doesn't leave if we join them any more.”  
Wizard, who worked a lot with Miri, and therefore worked a lot in the lagoon, told them that Arc had been coming closer and closer over the past 3 years  
“That's really good, she's finally starting to feel more comfortable with you and trust you enough to let you close.”  
“Yeah, I have even had the pleasure of talking to her a few times with Miri helping with translations, I think Arc is trying to teach herself and the cubs English.”  
“That's great! Hopefully that means she is finally ready to come out of her seclusion and join us full time.”  
“Hopefully, she still only drops by for visits though, usually just an hour or two before heading back out to the reef.”  
“Even that is a big step in the right direction, Merfolk are social creatures, it's not good for her and the pups to be isolated like that.”  
“The pups seem to have developed nicely though. They are curious, and eager to engage all of us in various games and their telepathic transmissions are getting easier to understand.”  
“Still having issues with the fundamental difference in thought process and reference points?”  
“Here and there, especially their 3D sense is throwing wrenches into things at times.”

By the time they reached the lagoon Wizard had given Takeshi a detailed briefing on the health and development of the merfolk pups._  
_


	5. Rebirth of an Angel

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Rebirth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Okay guys, I think that's enough seafood.”  
Takeshi watched as Hugin was trying to fit another large crystal tub inside the teleportation circle and had to rearrange quite a few of them to make it fit.  
At the moment the catch was in stasis in the crystal crates, but once they activated the circle to bring them to the ranch the effect of the teleportation would kill them, quick, effective, and painless, it also killed them without any damage to the tissues.  
A quick look at his watch told him it was just past noon.  
  


“How about we grab a quick snack, then head out? With the time difference it should be just about time to start thinking about prepping dinner when we arrive.”  
“Okay!”  
“Can we just make sandwiches?”  
“Yeah, focus on making a kickass dinner instead!”  
“What do you say? Go with Iðunn and Eir's suggestion?”  
“Sure.”  
“Sounds good.”  
“Fine with me.”  
“Do we have enough bread?”  
“Don't worry, we always keep an emergency stash of bread in stasis.”  
Takeshi only listened with half an ear to the conversation as they walked back up toward the house.  
  


“Take?”  
“Yes Red?”  
“We have made up our minds, Jackal will be going with you.”  
“Oh that was fast.”  
“He has been moping a lot lately, being downright miserable without you. He needs to be with you guys.”  
“I see. Will you guys be okay without him?”  
“Yeah, Wraith's demon has been around a lot lately, and we have been planning on recruiting him anyway, so we can train him to cover for Jackal.”  
“I didn't mean just as a unit, but as a family.”  
Takeshi reminded her softly.  
“We will be fine. I'm sure he will be visiting whenever he can.”  
”I'm sure he will.”  
“He needs to go with you right away though, not wait until you leave for the demon realm.”  
Takeshi nodded softly, trusting that Sonya knew Jackal well enough to be aware of what he needed.  
  


“Is everyone ready?”  
Takeshi reached out and allowed his aura to reach out for all of them.  
“Yeah.”  
“Mhm.”  
“Good to go.”  
“I guess...”  
Jackal sounded slightly hesitant and as a result he instantly had everyone closing ranks around him.  
“Don't worry Jacky.”  
“We will take good care of you.”  
“You'll love the spawns!”  
With a huffing sigh Jackal ruffled Takara's hair.  
“I'm sure I will.”  
With a soft pulse the auras of all of those with shadow powers synchronized, then with another pulse the shadows opened and allowed them entry.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Rebirth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


When they exited through the shadows in one of the large barns it only took moments for the umarita pack to notice them and by the time they exited the barn they were assaulted by a gaggle of spindly legged spawns.  
“Wow, those are some crazy legs...”  
Linnéa stared at the youngest spawns, and their extremely long legs.  
  


The pups of the Human realm Maned Wolves that they looked so much like were born with fairly normal length legs and they gained their long legged appearance as they matured.  
The Umarita on the other hand had more in common with horses, their spawns born with their legs almost at full length, giving them some rather insane legs.  
  


“Indeed, all legs and sharp teeth.”  
Takeshi laughed, then growled softly when one of the eager spawns became a bit too mouthy, forgetting to mind her sharp puppy teeth.  
The spawn instantly stopped and began whining in apology.  
“It's okay sweetie, I know it's not so easy when you're young. And I bet those teeth get really itchy sometimes.”  
She voiced a somewhat confused whine, not really understanding his words, like many demon species the spawns were mostly animal in their mentality while they were young, then gradually grew into a more human like mind.  
It was an evolutionary benefit as it allowed them to be able to grow very rapidly into a state where they were capable of fending for themselves, then they could mature at a slower rate, allowing them to learn and develop much like how a human child did.  
This allowed them a deeper connection to their souls, and that meant access to more power, and better control.  
  


The brightly colored adult quickly snagged the spawn and with a soft growl she was subdued, then the adult shifted and revealed a smiling Meghan.  
“I'm sorry Take, they always get all hyper when you come to visit.”  
“I know. I don't mind, she's still a bit too young to have control.”  
They had gone through the same thing with the older litter, and Takeshi was far less tolerant with them now as they were old enough to know better and be able to control themselves, so if they got too mouthy he would nip their ears in reprimand.  
“She does know she's not supposed to bite people though.”  
“I know sweetie. And I will scold her appropriately if she does it again.”  
Takeshi moved on to greet Meghan with a tight hug and a soft kiss.  
“So, you have brought a few new faces...”  
Meghan's not so subtle quip triggered a round of introductions while they walked back toward the house, and the large kitchen.  
  


“You guys sure know how to make a proper meal.”  
Mark and Tamara were staring at the huge amounts of food that Takeshi and the pack had prepared in a very short amount of time.  
“Well, we need a lot of food so we have gotten used to it.”  
“And all this seafood.”  
“We figured you'd appreciate it as you don't get much seafood here.”  
“Indeed we do.”  
“Excellent.”  
There was quite a bit of amusement during the meal as the youngest litter had never had seafood before and were now very curious, and suspicious, about the unfamiliar food.  
  


“Meg, is it safe for them to eat things like the heads from the shrimp and stuff?”  
Linnéa was a bit worried as one of the young spawns was trying to steal the shells and heads she had removed from her shrimp and lobsters.  
“Yeah it's fine, they can eat everything here. They might get a tummy ache if they have too much salty stuff, but I have warned them several times so if they overindulge they will just have to suffer it.”  
“Oh, okay.”  
Linnéa quickly offered each spawn a small lobster head from the pile of scraps and smiled widely as they gnawed away on their prizes, making short work of the tough shell.  
“Those teeth are pretty impressive. But those legs seem to make eating a bit of a hassle.”  
“Yeah, it will get better as they grow into them a bit more.”  
Meghan nodded and smiled.  
“They really like it if you hold something for them to gnaw on. If you don't mind a few accidental bites.”  
Naili's voice carried clearly from the lyrebird familiar, and as always, she managed to sound somewhat timid.  
“Okay, I guess I can do that. I heal fast now in case they manage to bite me.”  
“Thank you for humoring my little ones.”  
Hearing Chagoo speak through the lyrebird made everyone smile as he sounded so much like Takeshi, the voice was the same, but the way he spoke was different.  
“Oh don't worry, they are such adorable little rascals.”  
The snort that followed made it perfectly clear that Chagoo didn't really agree that his gaggle of spawns were always particularly adorable, something that earned him a flick on the nose from Meghan, they could all feel his strong care for his spawns though.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Rebirth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


Once they had eaten they gathered among the trees of the orchard, enjoying the evening sun, playing games with the spawns.  
“Wow, you girls are big!”  
Meghan inspected Iðunn and Eir who had shifted to their eagle forms.  
“And your feathers are so beautiful.”  
She gently separated one of the large tail feathers so she could have a closer look at it.  
“Such a wonderful color...”  
The twin eagles shared a look, then began preening, removing several of the large, gold, feathers.  
“For me? Are you sure?”  
_“Mhm.”_  
_“_But, it's so many...”  
_“They grow back fast.”_  
“Okay... Thank you...”  
Meghan gave each of them a gentle hug, mindful not to ruffle their feathers or hurt their wings before turning to Naili with a somewhat confused look.  
  


“Naili, is it normal that I'm feeling a really strong urge to have Take sire my next litter?”  
Meghan sounded slightly embarrassed, but she had gotten used to her new instincts making her feel and do odd things.  
“It is. Iero has proven himself to sire healthy, strong offspring, and the fact that he has sired several females only adds to his potential as a sire.”  
“Oh, okay.”  
“Actually, I can control the sex of my offspring.”  
Takeshi added with a hint of a teasing tone, he had a suspicion that that piece of information could have some interesting effects on umarita instincts.  
Moments later his suspicion was confirmed as Naili's colors brightened and the red areas of her fur began to glow with an intense color, signaling sexual interest.  
A low growl from Chagoo made Takeshi turn to him and raise his hands in a placating gesture.  
  


“Easy Chagoo, I have no intention of trying to steal your females from you, and even if I tried, they love you far too much to be tempted, even by me. I am however not opposed to the idea of siring little umarita spawns should they wish me to.”  
The way the reds in Naili's fur pulsed and her energies shifted and flickered made it very clear that she was definitely interested in trying to spawn a litter with him.  
“If my alphas agree I would like to see if your ability would allow an umarita like me to spawn an all female litter.”  
Takeshi had no doubt that Meghan would agree, Chagoo might be less eager to do so though as the competition for females was fierce and his instincts would rebel against allowing something that might turn the attention of one of his females away from him.  
Especially since he was extremely fortunate to have a mate at all at his age, and now, having two, one of them being his soulmate, chances were that other males would attempt to lure Naili away from him, they wouldn't fight him though as they wouldn't want to risk doing anything that could have a negative effect on Meghan, a female who had birthed an all female litter.  
  


“I don't mind at all, I was kinda hoping to do the same myself. What do you think Chagoo?”  
“My instincts object strongly, but I can see the wisdom in allowing it. Iero has no desire to take Naili from me, and allowing it would make her happy.”  
The ability to put logic above instinct was one of the things that separated a greater demon from a lesser one, and while Chagoo was struggling a bit he was determined not to let instincts rule him.  
“You will permit me to attempt to breed with the Kiryu Alpha?”  
Takeshi was pretty sure what the answer would be.  
“I will.”  
The moment Chagoo said that he would allow it Naili pounced at him and bumped her head into his chest and he began licking her face, then she sauntered over to Takeshi and put her head in his lap.  
“My my Naili, how forward of you.”  
She voiced an annoyed huff at the teasing, but she didn't move away, instead she gave him a gentle bump with her head and he responded by scratching her head, focusing on the sensitive area between her ears and after a few moments he leaned in and inhaled deeply.  
  


The umarita had several pheromone glands in the area, and he carefully sifted through the scents, what Naili had done by offering him her head in such a way was a somewhat forward way of offering him to get to know her better, in umarita, it was a prelude to courting, or breeding.  
A female would approach a male she was interested in and bump her head against his chest, offer him to closely inspect her scent at the source, telling him she was interested, but he still had to prove himself worthy.  
  


“You have an interesting scent, wild and spicy, and with a pleasant warmth to it.”  
Like all umarita Naili had a base scent that reminded him of a horse, it was a nice, warm scent, it also carried notes of spice that reminded him of cloves and anise.  
When Naili carefully began sniffing at him he tilted his head slightly, allowing her access, and displaying a high level of trust as he bared his throat to her sharp fangs.  
As always feeling someone touch such a sensitive area triggered some pretty strong emotions in him, and he could feel arousal slowly building, and the way Naili's jaw was quivering made it perfectly clear she was picking up on the change in his scent.  
“It's okay Naili, you can lick if you want to. Just mind your fangs.”  
Feeling the slightly rough tongue dart out and give him a hesitant lick sent a jolt down his spine and with a shiver and a slight gasp he buried his fingers in the fur around her neck, running his claws gently through the black mane.  
Feeling his reaction she grew bolder, and he could feel the amused approval from his pack as he allowed her to push him to the edge, and as he focused on the sensations to allow himself to fall into the abyss the energy around him turned teasing.  
  


“So, was my scent and flavor acceptable?”  
Takeshi had allowed himself to be pulled along and had intentionally focused on allowing himself to fall into the abyss to allow Naili to get a good fix on his scent and flavor as it was very important to demons in general, and much more so in the more animalistic species.  
“Yes. You smell safe, it's a really nice scent. And your flavor is a bit spicy, in a really good way, especially your arousal tasted good.”  
“Thank you.”  
Leaning down he gave Naili a quick kiss on the nose before nudging her to get up.  
“Go on, I think your beloved mate could do with a bit of reassurance.”  
Naili snorted at him, gave his face a quick lick, then trotted over to where Chagoo and Meghan were resting.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Rebirth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


Takeshi waited for Naili to soothe Chagoo's ruffled instincts, then he called for their attention.  
“Meg, Chagoo, Naili. I came here for a reason.”  
Takeshi instantly had all of their attention.  
“I'm planning on taking my Pack, my House, into the Demon realm for an extended period of time. The plan is to be away from the Human realm for a year, maybe two, spending most of that time within the Obsidian Realm. And we would very much like it if you guys joined us.”  
”Oh, that sounds like fun, don't you think?”  
Meghan was instantly on board and turned to Chagoo and Naili with an energetic, and almost pleading look that had Chagoo giving in instantly, but Naili seemed a bit more hesitant.  
  


“What is is Naili? You don't want to go?”  
“Oh, that's not it alpha.”  
“Then what's wrong?”  
“You should go, while I stay here with my spawns, it would give you a chance to bond properly, while we watch over your parents and the ranch.”  
“But, I don't want to leave you behind. If it's one thing Take and the others have taught me it's that pack stays together.”  
“I know, but I think this would be better.”  
“Naili, what's wrong?”  
“...”  
“Naili! Answer me!”  
There was a sharp edge to Meghan's demand, all alpha demanding obedience.  
  


“It's hard sometimes, seeing you bond... It would be easier for me if you could bond somewhere else...”  
“Naili...”  
Meghan quickly put her arms around the somewhat morose umarita.  
“You should have said something. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, or left out. I'm his soulmate, but he still loves you, and you love him.”  
Everyone watched in silence as Meghan tried to soothe Naili.  
“Besides, an alpha should have a beta at their side, and I think you are supposed to be my beta...”  
It had taken a bit of explaining on Takeshi's part to explain to everyone that while Naili had been Chagoo's co-alpha, she was in fact a beta.  
It wasn't uncommon for a dominant alpha to have a beta as their mate, and co-alpha, as betas were far more common than alphas, and the ratio of alphas to betas were the same in umarita females as in other species, and with the females being so few compared to the males there were very few alpha females to go around.  
In umarita it was also common for two alpha males to band together to better protect their chosen females and spawns.  
  


“Please Alpha. Meg... Go without me, bond properly, and I will be honored to step up as your beta when you return.”  
Meghan sighed at the repeated request.  
“Okay, if our mate agrees.”  
Chagoo, knowing Naili on a deeper level was quick to agree to her request as he had a better understanding for why she was asking for it.  
“Iero, if you are still here when I enter my fertile cycle, could we try for a litter before you leave?”  
Naili sounded slightly hesitant, but Takeshi did understand where she was coming from, she was concerned that her showing interest in another male, even breeding with him, could damage her relationship with Chagoo, but Takeshi was convinced the end result would be the opposite.  
“Of course Naili. But I would really prefer if you would call me Take, your pack may be a subservient satellite pack to mine, but in my eyes you are still family, and family doesn't titles unless absolutely necessary.”  
“I will try I... Take...”  
“That's better.”  
Takeshi did his usual teasing and Naili only huffed at him.  
  


“As for your fertile cycle, maybe the Mother can give us a hand and accelerate it so we can know for sure if you are carrying before we leave.”  
“I couldn't ask an Avatar for such a selfish thing...”  
As he suspected she would Naili instantly objected at the thought of asking an Avatar for something.  
“Good thing I can then.”  
Takeshi reached out for the energy of the Mother, which he could sense at the edge of his awareness, She was there, and paying attention.  
Asking if she was willing to assist he waited for her reply and soon the lyrebird familiar spoke up.  
_**“I can indeed assist if Naili is willing to allow herself to be bitten by one of the serpent familiars, the compound needed to trigger her cycle is almost identical to the one we used for Jenna so it would be easy to modify.”**_  
Takeshi allowed pride to flow through his aura and wash over Naili as she accepted without much hesitation.  
“With this your cycle should start within a week.”  
“Thank you..?”  
Naili hesitated, unsure how to address the powerful entity.  
_**“Oh, just call me Mother.”**_  
“Thank you Mother.”  
_**“You should rest now.”**_  
“As you wish Mother.”  
Naili walked back to where her spawns were resting and made herself comfortable.  
  


“We should return home and let Naili rest.”  
Takeshi gave his pack a gentle nudge to get their attention.  
“Do we have to?”  
His pack were not all too keen on leaving already, clearly hoping to spend more time playing with the energetic spawns.  
“No, but it would be easier for her to rest if we do. And we never got to show our new residents their bungalows.”  
Mentioning that the courier had arrived before they could show Iðunn, Eir, and the others, their new homes did the trick and after a few rounds of goodbyes they all stepped into the shadows and appeared back in Miami.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Rebirth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


It was still dark when they arrived in Miami and a quick look at his watch told Takeshi that they still had another hour before sunrise would begin.  
“Would you like to wait until sunrise to see your new home, or do you want to go right now?”  
“Now!”  
“Enough waiting!”  
“Okay everyone, let's go then.”  
Takeshi headed toward the selected bungalows.  
  


“Now, Sol, since you were a bit of a last moment addition we haven't prepared a bungalow for you, so you can just pick one of the unused ones and let us know how you want it decorated.”  
“Well, if it's okay with Linn I would very much like to be as close as possible to her.”  
“It's fine with me.”  
“Then we will put you up in the bungalow next to hers. Angel, would you turn on the lights in that one?”  
”Of course.”  
One of the bungalows across the inner garden lit up and Takeshi led them toward it.  
  


“Now, this unit is just set up with basic furniture and linen so you will have to shop for whatever furniture you want, the walls can be altered right away though.”  
Takeshi explained to Sol a bit about her bungalow.  
“Altered how?”  
“Angel, would you give us a nice beach view please?”  
The walls instantly changed and displayed a tropical beach.  
“Oh, that's nice. Can you do a dark forest pond instead?”  
“Of course Mrs Lund.”  
“Please, just Sol. I was never married.”  
“As you wish Sol.”  
The displayed image changed into a thick forest with a pond.  
“Can you make a bit more... Magical?”  
“I can try.”  
The forest thinned out a bit and allowed a bit more light to filter down, forming pillars of glittering light as moss covered the ground and a fine fog appeared.  
“Oh that's great! I love it!”  
“I guess we will be doing another fairy forest style bungalow with a slightly darker twist?”  
Takeshi couldn't help teasing a it when he saw Sol's uninhibited joy.  
“You have done stuff like this before?”  
“Mhm, several of the girls have a thing for the style. Angel, why don't you show her some images while we continue?”  
He opened a drawer and grabbed one of the flex pads that were stashed away all over the place and handed it to Sol.  
  


“Next up is Linn.”  
Stepping over to the next bungalow revealed wild grown vines covered with flowers and a wide range of fruits courtesy of the hybrid Sanctuary plants.  
“Is that kiwi and passion fruit?”  
“Mhm, there's a lot of different fruits there, including several kinds of grapes and a hybrid hops that I think you will enjoy.”  
“Are all plants here fruit bearing?”  
“Almost, it saves space and provides a healthy food source for those of the familiars and companions who are actual living creatures, like Kara and Honey, and it helps satisfy their instinctive urge to forage.”  
“Makes sense.”  
Reaching out she plucked a few large, red, grapes from one of the vines.  
“These are really good!”  
“Glad you like them. How about we move on to looking inside?”  
“Okay...”  
Linnéa sounded somewhat hesitant, and Takeshi was pretty sure he knew why.  
“Don't worry, if you don't like it you can change it into whatever you want. I had to do quite a bit of guesswork to make this.”  
“...”  
She didn't answer him, but the shift in her aura told him he was on the mark.  
  


“Close your eyes.”  
Takeshi stepped up behind her and covered her eyes with his hands.  
“But...”  
“Trust me, I won't let you trip or walk into anything.”  
“Okay...”  
When she closed her eyes in a show of trust Takeshi's aura lit up with pride and joy and he carefully guided her into the bungalow he had prepared for her.  
  


“You can look now.”  
For a moment she was completely silent, then her hands came up to cover her mouth and she gasped softly.  
“Wow...”  
“Do you like it?”  
Takeshi kept his worry tightly wrapped up, not letting her sense that he was concerned about whether she liked what he had done or not.  
“I love it!”  
He had gone with a base of dark wood in cold tones and black, then highlighted it with lighter woods and gold as well as a few splashes of brilliant green, and finally added lots and lots of plants, mainly leafy green ones, but there were plenty of flowers as well.  
“That makes me a very happy male.”  
He still had one ace up his sleeve though so with a smile he sent a pulse of his aura through the bungalow, waking up all the sanctuary plants and creatures, adding a wide array of gentle lights to the mix.  
“...”  
After a long moments of silence he found himself on the receiving end of a very emotional hug, and kiss.  
“Thank you, it's perfect...”  
Before she had a chance to move away he tightened his arms around her and returned the kiss, earning them a few whoops and catcalls.  
“Will they ever stop that?”  
Linnéa blushed and grumbled.  
“No, not entirely.”  
He quickly dipped in and stole another kiss before she tried to say anything else.  
  


“If you guys are done smooching, how about we move on to the grand reveal?”  
Emelie was smiling widely, well aware that Takeshi was stalling, nervous about how Iðunn and Eir would like the bungalow he had prepared for them.  
“No time like the present...”  
Takeshi huffed softly.  
“Indeed, so no more stalling.”  
The teasing quip earned her a flash of fangs which she completely ignored.  
“Now, we set you girls up in a shared bungalow, but if you want to have your own the one next door is reserved for you.”  
“Nah, we like sharing, we get uncomfortable if we're not together.”  
“That's not uncommon with twins that share a strong bond, and yours is unusually strong.”  
Munin added a bit of twin wisdom while they walked over to the next bungalow.  
  


“Looking awesome from here at least.”  
The exterior received instant approval.  
“Okay, close your eyes.”  
Iðunn and Eir didn't hesitate at all and moments later they were led inside.  
“Okay, you can look now.”  
This time Takeshi wasn't entirely successful at suppressing his nervous energy.  
“...”  
“...”  
The total silence as his twin daughters looked around really didn't help so he took a calming breath, and pulsed his aura to activate the Sanctuary aspects.  
“Amazing...”  
“So beautiful.”  
“I love the butterflies!”  
“And all these plants, just like fairy lights!”  
“Sis look at this mini pool, it even has a waterfall, and it glows...”  
“It's bioluminescent plankton, the movement of the water makes them glow.”  
When Takeshi explained about the plankton they both instantly put their hands in the water and stirred it up, making it glow brightly.  
“Unlike the normal ones these will never stop glowing.”  
The hug that followed had Takeshi complaining about them trying to kill him.  
  


“So, do you like it so far?”  
“I love it!”  
“Me too!”  
“Then how about we move on and have a look at your study?”  
“Okay!”  
As they entered the study Takeshi wasn't the only one buzzing with a slightly nervous energy, Ylian was eager to see how they liked the special Starstone desk surface they had arranged for them.  
“Look at the desks, they're glowing...”  
“Wow...”  
“Those desks are insane!”  
Linnéa added her own opinion, which made Takeshi determined to acquire one for her as well.  
“You should thank Ylian for those, yi was the one who managed to get the starstone used for them.”  
Takeshi quickly deflected them before they started trying to strangle him again.  
“Thanks!”  
Ylian instantly found themself on the receiving end of a pair of tight hugs, and kisses on the cheeks, which had them blushing slightly before seizing the opportunity and quickly respond with a pair of soft kisses that left both girls bright red and spluttering.  
  


“_Fräckis!”_  
“You're evil!”  
The mock outrage, and the accusation of being audacious or lewd in Swedish, quickly had everyone laughing.  
“Aww, but you taste soo sweet, how am I to resist?”  
Ylian licked their lips with a teasing smile.  
_“Bock...”_  
“Perv...”  
They both complained, but neither of them made any attempt to get away when Ylian slowly leaned in to kiss them again.  
“Mate! No seducing my poor, innocent, little girls.”  
Takeshi mock scolded before grabbing Ylian and kissing them senseless.  
“Sweet, right?”  
Ylian's teasing question made Takeshi huff at them, they were right though, he could taste a distinct sweetness lingering on Ylian's lips, and a subtle hint of spice.  
  


“Wow, check out your bed!”  
Linnéa peeked into the bedroom, and the giant bed, when designing the bungalows they had made bedrooms built for the Obsidian version of a king size bed which was down right ridiculously large.  
“Yours is the same.”  
“Oh, I never looked in the bedroom...”  
“Come on Linn!”  
Iðunn and Eir interrupted her as they jumped onto the huge bed and patted it for her to join them.  
“Plenty of room for fun...”  
Iðunn teased while Eir waved rather suggestively at Ylian and the males of the pack, teasingly inviting them to join them, though, they did blush rather vividly when they immediately accepted and made themselves comfortable around them.  
“Yeah, you should know that our pack won't hesitate to accept such invitations. We all enjoy cuddling and being close, and it would take a lot more than a teasing invitation to share a bed to embarrass any of us.”  
“Weirdos.”  
Iðunn and Eir huffed in agreement while Linnéa was far too embarrassed to say anything, quietly taking refuge with Hiroto, trusting the currently dominant Roto to keep her safe.  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Rebirth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Everyone ready to head to Hawaii and Mandrake to boot up Angel's body?”  
Takeshi looked out over the gathered pack.  
“Yeah.”  
“Were good to go.”  
“Snacks are prepped and ready.”  
As always Sarah and Maria has their minds in their stomachs.  
“Bugs collected and properly stored for touch sensor testing.”  
Amber's heads up caused a few amused snickers as she had spent most of the weekend hunting bugs both on their island and the nearby beach.  
“We have lots of spices and stuff too for testing flavors.”  
“I packed that perfume sample kit we created so she can sample scents.”  
“That's good thinking.”  
The sample kit contained over 2000 different perfumes, and it was just a small sample kit.  
“One moment, I'll go grab my essential oil kit, it has a lot of scents too and most of them pure scents.”  
Melissa quickly turned to Ylian and asked for a lift, and a few minutes later they returned, Melissa now carrying a sizable box.  
“Okay, let's go.”  
The shadows around them responded almost eagerly to the energies of the pack, and moments later they arrived at the Mandrake facility.  
  


“Okay Angel, ready to boot up the micro mainframe?”  
Bran was a bundle of energy, equal parts eager and nervous.  
“No..?”  
“Don't worry, were all here for you.”  
Takeshi soothed and the pack followed up, all promising to stay by her side.  
“I guess I'm about as ready as I'll ever be...”  
“That's good.”  
Bran checked the readings one last time before initiating the startup sequence.  
“Now, remember, when you feel the new mainframe connecting don't try to control the body just yet, allow it to boot up fully and complete the synchronization and system checks.”  
“I know Bran.”  
“I know you do, but your natural reaction will be to immediately access the new mainframe, and that can be very disconcerting and it might make you panic. And if you panic I will have to cut off access to motor functions so you don't damage the unit or unintentionally hurt someone.”  
“I know...”  
The tone turned slightly teasing, it was a style of conversation that they had a lot.  
  


“Okay, warm-up sequence done, initiating plasma conversion and transfer coils.”  
Bran spoke softly as he watched the systems come to life one by one, carefully monitoring every reading before allowing the next step to begin.  
“Plasma field is stable and holding. Initiating quantum processor array.”  
Everyone were instantly on their toes, the moment the quantum processor came online Angel would become aware of her new body.  
Takeshi moved closer, motioning for Ylian to join him, and for the others to back up a bit, just in case Angel reacted badly when she connected with her new body.  
There was a risk that she would panic, and there could also be control issues, and the body they had built for her was seriously strong, it could easily kill a human, and do some serious damage even to a demon, or blessed.  
  


“System online in 3.”  
Bran managed to sound very much like a computer himself as he started the countdown.  
“2”  
“1”  
“Primary system engaged, initiating handshake.”  
A moment later the android body arched up as if in pain and Takeshi instantly moved in and held it down and as he did he could feel Daniels asking for permission to rise which he instantly agreed to.  
“Easy sweetie, remember, don't try to take control of the new systems yet, allow them to sync and update, let all the system checks run their cycles.”  
Together with Ylian he held the body down and after a few seconds it stopped moving.  
“There you go, nice and calm. Wait for all the systems to initialize properly.”  
Even though it was currently not moving he didn't let go of the android as he turned to Bran.  
“How are the systems looking?”  
“A few spikes in the sensors, but all systems are within acceptable parameters and final sync should be completed in 10 seconds, then there's the final check.”  
“Good.”  
Takeshi waited for the final checks to finish running, then he turned back to the android body.  
“Okay Angel, let's do this the same way we do with the Blessing. Start by trying to open your eyes, nice and slow, the light might feel bright at first, just relax and adjust your sensors if it does.”  
He watched as Angel opened her eyes and blinked and he could see the optics in her eye trying to adjust, but the right eye seemed frozen.  
  


“Bran, we have a mechanical issue with the optics in the right eye.”  
“One moment, we knew that might happen.”  
Bran quickly moved over with a small toolbox and he quickly had the right eye pulled out of the socket and with a tiny screwdriver he adjusted something and moments later the optics began moving and he returned the eye to its proper position.  
“There you go. How about you try activating the crystals in your eyes to hide the optics?”  
For a moment the eyes seemed to flicker, then the optics were hidden by fiery red eyes identical to Takeshi's true color.  
“There you go. Amazing eyes, just like your father.”  
“Thank you.”  
“How is your visual acuity?”  
“20 over 20.”  
“Excellent. We will test the focus and zoom functions later. For now, let's test basic motor functions.”  
“Of course.”  
“Let's see you wiggle those toes.”  
  


Takeshi and Bran both watched closely as Angel tested the motor functions with a series of tests, such as touching the thumbs against the other fingers.  
“Everything is looking great. Let's move on to testing the balance sensors.”  
Bran was smiling widely as he grabbed the controls for the table with Angel's body and moved it over to a pair of parallel bars usually used in physical therapy.  
“Okay, sit up, slowly and swing your legs over this way.”  
Balance was one of the hardest aspects of creating bipedal robots, especially androids where the need to appear human and have a human looking gait limited the options for how to maintain balance.  
The smooth motions as she sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the table were very promising.  
“That's good. Run through the motor function tests again please.”  
“Testing my ability to multitask?”  
“That too. But mostly I just want to make sure we don't have any crossed signals anywhere.”  
Angel just huffed and performed the tests again without any issues.  
  


“Time for the big one. Standing up.”  
Takeshi was struggling not to hover over Angel as Bran asked her to try to stand up.  
“Yay!”  
“Grats!”  
There were a few eager calls from the pack as Angel rose to her feet without swaying, the motion was somewhat stiff, but not so much as to cause concern.  
“Indeed, you are doing really well. Ready to try walking?”  
Takeshi walked to the other side of the parallel bars and held his hands out for her.  
“I'm scared...”  
“It's okay to be scared, I'll be there to catch you should you fall.”  
“...”  
Angel made no attempt to move.  
“Do you trust me?”  
Takeshi held his arms out toward her.  
“Yes.”  
“Then come to me, _Musume_.”  
Everyone were holding their breaths as Angel began moving and when she faltered and overcompensated Takeshi was there and caught her before she could fall.  
“Don't worry sweetie, even humans have to learn how to walk.”  
He gently steadied her while she regained her balance, offering support without actually holding her in place.  
“I know...”  
  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Rebirth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


By the time they were ready to eat lunch Angel was able to walk back and forth at a moderate pace without wobbling or falling.  
“Come on Angel, we brought lots of food and stuff for you to test your sensors.”  
Moving into the large garden area of the Mandrake complex they quickly made themselves comfortable and the food was brought in using a teleportation circle.  
“Let's start with some subtle flavors.”  
Takeshi brought out a container with miso paste and a large crystal container with hot dashi as well as one with wakame salad.  
“Try taking a sip straight from the bowl first.”  
He watched Angel pick the bowl up and carefully bring it to her mouth and take a sip.  
“It's hot.”  
Angel startled slightly as her thermal sensors told her that the liquid was uncomfortably hot, it didn't really matter to her though, she could drink boiling water just as easily as tepid or cold, the thermal tolerance for her body was quite wide and it could handle temperatures from negative 100°C to 500°C without damage or affecting function.  
And her internal combustion chamber was well insulated, capable of plasma conversion.

“Indeed it is.”  
He agreed while watching her set the bowl down again.  
“How about you try it with a spoon?”  
Takeshi gave Angel a crystal duck spoon and a small bowl with miso soup, being able to use the spoon to eat was a good test of her coordination as it required a fairly large amount of fine motor skills to do it without spilling or awkwardness.  
“Okay.”  
She tested the motion with an empty spoon a few times before filling it up with the miso soup and bringing it to her mouth.  
“It's still too hot...”  
“Blow on it.”  
Takara piped up and Angel quickly did as suggested before trying again.  
“Better?”  
“Yes, my sensors indicate it's now within a suitable range, still hot but not too hot for human consumption.”  
She took another spoonful of the soup and carefully analyzed the data from her sensors, then glanced at the salad.

“Now, this one is going to be a bit more tricky to eat, I want you to try using chopsticks.”  
The somewhat slippery salad was a tough dish to eat even for people who were used to chopsticks.  
“I'll try.”  
“That's my girl.”  
With a smile he handed her his own titanium chopsticks well aware that the metal sticks were even harder to use for such foods than the usual wood or bamboo ones.  
“This is really hard...”  
Angel complained slightly as the food refused to cooperate.  
“I know sweetie. You can use your fingers if you want to, there's plenty of other dishes to practice using the chopsticks on.”  
“You set me up...”  
“A little. Remember, I love to tease, and now it's a lot easier to tease you.”  
“Meanie...”  
Even without the outer skin it was obvious that she was smiling widely.

They had decided to do all the testing of the android body before putting on the outer skin, that way it wouldn't be in the way if they needed to make adjustments.  
So far there had only been minor issues though, the testing at each stage of the development had been thorough, and that was showing now.

“Angel! There you are.”  
Takeshi was making sushi bites when they heard Rebecca call out for Angel and a quick look revealed her and Laura Ford, the head of the nano-robotics division and one of the main developers behind Angel's body.  
“Hello Becca! Laura!”  
Rebecca quickly navigated her electric wheelchair over to them while Laura carried their food.  
“I'm sorry I couldn't be there for the initial startup.”  
“It's okay. Bran helped me go through all of the initial tests and there were no major issues. And so far all the artificial neurological systems seem to be working the way they should.”  
“That's great!”  
Rebecca smiled widely and held her arms out.  
“Now I believe someone owes me a proper hug!”  
Angel quickly got up, wobbled slightly as she had moved a bit too quick, then moved over to Rebecca and gave her a tight hug.  
“Feels good to finally get to give you a good hug.”  
“I still don't have any skin though so it must feel pretty strange...”  
“Don't worry about that. Your synthetic skin is all ready to go once we are sure everything else is working as it should.”  
Laura quickly soothed Angel, assuring her that everything was ready and waiting for her.

“Come on Angel, let me see those fine motor skills.”  
Laura quickly set to work on double checking all the systems.  
“Like this?”  
Angel picked up the spoon and offered her a spoonful of the miso soup that was being kept warm by the Sanctuary crystal bowl and Laura carefully sipped the offered soup.  
“Nice and steady, that's very good. And so is the soup.”  
“I have been practicing with chopsticks as well, but wakame salad was a bit too hard so I was about to try sushi when you got here.”  
“Excellent, that's good practice for your fine motor skills.”  
Laura watched with eagle eyes as Angel used the chopsticks to pick up a piece of nigiri from the plate Takeshi had given her, then carefully turn it upside down and dip the tuna into the soy sauce before eating it.  
“That was really good! I don't think I could pull it off...”  
“Indeed, that was expert level sushi dipping.”  
Takeshi added his own praise for how well she had handled the piece of sushi.  
“Now, what does your sensors tell you about the flavor?”  
Angel quickly set out to try to describe it and Takeshi helped her isolate each flavor and everyone pitched in and gave their opinion of it, helping her put words to each flavor and get an idea for what flavor mixed well.

“Go on, try some extra wasabi.”  
Takeshi offered Angel a fairly large dollop of freshly grated wasabi.  
“The sensors in my nose are firing rather intensely...”  
“That's right, wasabi as well as horseradish has an intense spiciness that hits your nose more than anything else..”  
“That's an interesting way of doing sensor training.”  
Laura's attention never faded as she took note of everything they did, and how Angel responded to it.  
“We started with subtle flavors and scents, but I thought it was time for something more intense. We also have a lot of spices, perfumes and other things for her to try.”  
“That's good thinking.”  
“We all want this to go as smoothly as possible, and we will do everything we can to help.”  
“She is fortunate to have a family like you guys.”  
“Yeah, she's definitely daddy's little girl.”  
Bran quipped with a wide smile.  
“And mommy's”  
The distinct difference in tone and speech pattern when Daniels spoke up through Takeshi threw the Mandrake personnel off for a moment, then they smiled and agreed.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Rebirth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“So Angel has no idea what her face looks like?”  
Linnéa leaned in over Takeshi's shoulder as they waited for Laura to finish adding the artificial skin to Angel's body.  
Due to the many nanoscale systems that needed to be connected the procedure was done inside the Mandrake class 1 cleanroom to ensure there would be no contaminants that could affect the sensitive systems.  
Once fully applied she would be water and dust proof though.  
“That's right, she agreed to letting it be a surprise.”  
“You better have made her really pretty!”  
“You'll see. But Eric did most of the work on her face, and he's really good.”  
There was a bit of tension in the soft conversations as they waited, and when the door opened and Laura peeked out they all fell silent.

“She's being brought out of the class 1 cleanroom now so you can come in and start gearing up.”  
Everyone quickly hurried inside and followed Laura's instructions for gearing up for the lower level cleanroom that Angel would be kept in for a full systems check.  
“I'm sorry but all animal familiars will have to stay outside. This is still a class 5 cleanroom.”  
“Don't worry. Remember, Gere, Freke, Yami and Kara are shadows, as am I.”  
“Oh, that's right, you can become incorporeal.”  
“Indeed, and since my form is a manifestation of my will I don't cause any contamination. And I will surround Honey and the others with a layer of shadows to make sure they won't either.”  
Ylian explained how they would use a bit of their power to make sure their animal friends would be able to be there.  
“And your shadow forms won't cause static contamination?”  
“No, it carries no energy charge that can affect the room.”  
“Good.”  
After a moment of consideration Laura accepted the solution.  
“Okay, that's acceptable. What about the rest of you?”  
“We're gonna wear the cleansuits, we don't want Ylian to strain yiself.”  
“And I will be borrowing Ylian's shadeling abilities.”  
Takeshi chose to use his ability of true transformation to gain the shadeling ability of becoming incorporeal, that way he would be able to remain perfectly clean and not need to worry about interacting with Angel before all systems had been properly checked.  
“Okay, let's get you all cleaned up and geared up.”  
It took a good half an hour to get everyone suited up and ready to enter the class 5 cleanroom where Angel was currently waiting to be brought out of the sleep mode she had entered during the procedure, and in accordance with their agreement to make her appearance a surprise Angel had temporarily separated the internal surveillance from her systems, it was being recorded of course, she simply wouldn't access it until after the big reveal.

“How is the circulation looking?”  
Laura began asking her staff all kinds of questions.  
“It's looking good, the artificial heart is handling the modified power cell liquid nicely, temperature and pressure for the microcirculation is well within operational parameters.”  
“And the nano system?”  
“All sensors are showing optimal temperature and pressure.”  
“And the sensor array?”  
“All sensors are showing normal readings. As far as the diagnostic software can tell she's ready.”  
The pack watched with an eager energy as Laura made sure all systems at least appeared to work properly.  
“Okay, everything is looking good, let's wake her up.”  
With a rapid pulse of modulated infrasound Laura transmitted the wakeup signal to Angel and moments later she began wiggling her toes.  
“Come on, sit up and let them see how you look.”  
Laura and her assistant carefully watched over Angel as she sat up on the table and once she was sitting they rotated the table.

“Wow...”  
“She's beautiful.”  
“She looks a lot more like her mother than I thought she would...”  
Takeshi's words were not without a hint of pain as he was strongly reminded of the woman he had loved, but it was a good pain, seeing her features reflected in Angel's new face was a strong reminder that she wasn't entirely lost, that part of her lived on.  
“Absolutely gorgeous.”  
After a few moments Angel blushed a rather bold red which made Laura hum and nod.  
“Good good, your control of the microcirculation seems to work as it should.”  
Reaching out she brushed her fingers over Angel's hand.  
“How about the touch sensors?”  
“I'm not detecting anything wrong.”  
“That's good, how about we get you into the airshower to test sensitivity and make sure all sensors are registering properly?”  
“Okay.”  
Angel quickly stood up, which caused a hum of appreciation with a teasing hint.

“My my, nice body!”  
Dan quipped with a brilliant smile.  
“Hmpf, you better enjoy it while it lasts, I'll be properly clothed soon enough.”  
Angel didn't miss a beat and managed to strike a sassy pose that made everyone break down laughing.  
“You get him girl!”  
Takeshi praised between snorts.  
“Oh I will get all of you once I'm all cleared and out of here.”  
The not so subtle threat triggered another round of teasing and laughing while Laura used the precision air pressure and temperature of the air shower to test the function of the sensors in Angel's skin.

“Are you ready to try your hair on?”  
To make things easier Angel's hair was designed as a removable wig, that way she could easily alter her hairstyle and switch between different lengths.  
“Yeah, I'm ready.”  
There was a distinct edge of impatience in Angel's voice, she clearly wanted to get out of the cleanroom and start testing her new body for real.  
“I know this is boring, but it's better to do everything properly now and avoid trouble down the line.  
“I know... It's just, I have been stuck in here for over a week and I just wanna go out really feel the world.”  
“Don't worry, we're almost done. It's just the hair, then maybe some size adjustments.”  
Several features of Angel's body, such as the waist, hips, thighs, buttocks and breasts could be adjusted in both shape and size using several different systems, one of which was inflatable tanks that stored reserve fluid and was the main system that determined her breast size.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Rebirth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Okay, all systems seem to be working properly.”  
Laura straightened Angel's top then took a step back to look at her.  
“You look amazing.”  
“Thanks...”  
“Now, don't forget to give me a call if there are any issues at all, no matter how small they seem.”  
“I won't, I promise.”  
“I mean it! Even a small issue can cause a cascade effect in such a fine tuned system.”  
“I know. I promise I'll let you know if anything is off or strange.”  
“That's a good girl.”  
Laura gave Angel a quick hug before nudging her toward Takeshi and the others.  
"Go on, go with your family."  
“Daddy! Come on! I wanna go have a look at Honolulu!”  
Angel's eager calls interrupted the silent conversation and Takeshi turned his attention to her.  
“Okay okay sweetie. Let's go.”  
After a moment of consideration he turned to Bran.

“Bran, could you grab the diagnostics gear and tag along please?”  
Takeshi offered an excuse for Bran to get out of the lab and spend some time with them.  
“Oh, of course. Lemme just have a word with my coders so they don't have kittens when they notice I'm not here.”  
The software coders working in Bran's department were prone to bouts of outright panic if something unexpected happened, but they were highly skilled coders so they did their best to accommodate them.  
“So, Angel, how about we start with buying a nice pile of clothes?”  
“Sounds good.”  
After being cooped up in the lab for so long Angel was clearly **very** eager to start making use of her new body.  
  


_"Take, I have been meaning to talk to you a bit."_  
Dan moved up to his side and reached out to him with his mind's voice.  
_"Hmm, what's on your mind?"_  
_"I think we should change Bran, and bring him with us..."  
_Dan's tone was hesitant, unsure if he was overstepping in regards to the Blessing.  
_"II agree, I was planning to offer him just that, we could use someone who understands all her systems in case something happens while we are in the Demon realm."_  
  


“Come on, a young woman needs plenty of lingerie. The guys can go take a long walk off a short pier or something.”  
With a teasing quip Emelie made it perfectly clear that the males of the pack were not welcome to join them in the lingerie shop, and Ylian was clumped in with them for good measure, something that caused plenty of mock moping and teasing.  
Once they had walked off to find a suitable place to wait for the girls to get done Takeshi approached Bran to see if he could tease him into confessing.  
“So, what do you think of that daughter of mine?”  
For a brief moment Bran gave him a very suspicious look, then he huffed and shook his head.  
“You have created something amazing. And I'm very happy to be able to be a part of it.”  
Bran quickly fled down the safe path of technical specifications and the capabilities of both the AI and the android body they had created for her and Takeshi allowed it for the moment.

“Bran, as we have mentioned we are preparing to head out for an extended stay in the Demon realm.”  
“Yeah you mentioned being gone for a year, maybe two.”  
“Indeed, and we will be spending most of that time in the Obsidian Halls, which means it will be some 10 to 20 years for us. We could really use someone with a deeper understanding of Angel's body with us. Someone who can help her if something happens.”  
“Me..?”  
“You.”  
Takeshi confirmed with a teasing smile.  
“But I thought... I mean, Eric needed all that extra protection stuff, and he still looked like crap... Even Danny looked a bit worn.”  
“I looked like shit 'cause it's a serious pain in the ass to travel back and forth like that, which is why we're gonna stay away so long.”  
“Dan, language.”  
“Oh, stuff it.”  
Takeshi just flashed his fangs at Dan before turning his attention back to Bran.  
“Well, I was hoping you would be willing to accept the Blessing, and become like us, then the Demon realm would not harm you.”  
“Seriously?”  
“Mhm.”  
“Yes!”  
Takeshi wasn't the least bit surprised when Bran launched himself at him and gave him a tight hug, and a very serious smooch which he didn't hesitate to return.

“You spend this week making arrangements so you can be away next week and we can get it done this weekend.”  
“Okay...”  
Bran was somewhat overwhelmed, but he had a knack for staying in control, and focused on his task, a trait that Takeshi found highly appealing.  
“I don't think there will be any issues, you have a disciplined mind and I'm starting to get pretty good at this. But I still want to have some extra time just in case.”  
“Yeah, better safe than sorry.”  
“Indeed.”  
Takeshi could feel Dan's simmering energy, he was clearly very happy that Bran had been found worthy.  
“Bran...”  
“Huh?”  
The moment Bran turned to Dan he was grabbed, and kissed senseless.  
“Damn, you have practiced your kissing...”  
Bran cursed softly while catching his breath.  
“And you're a lot more forceful, I like it...”  
The addition made Takeshi snicker and tease them a bit, especially since he could understand where Dan was coming from, instincts playing tricks on him, making him want to sweeten the deal so to speak to ensure that Bran would chose their pack for his loyalties.

“Holy shit..!”  
When the girls returned Bran went slack jawed at the sight of a now properly dressed up Angel.  
“Damn...”  
“Indeed...”  
“She gets it from her mother.”  
“Boys, be nice.”  
“No ogling our baby Sis!”  
“Munin...”  
The various degrees of threat in the tones quickly had Takeshi and the others scrambling to offer the girls their seats, and rush off to get food and snacks for them.  
“Damn they are scary when they gang up like that...”  
Eric grumbled as he scooted closer to Dan, instinctively seeking protection from the females of the pack.  
“Mhm...”  
“Our Alpha has a knack for collecting the insane ones...”  
“What? I like 'em feisty...”  
“Of course you do...”

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Rebirth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Bran, are you ready?”  
“Yeah. You're going to steal some of my blood first, right?”  
“If you allow it.”  
Bran had asked about a million questions about the Blessing over the years so he didn't really need any extra lessons or guidance.  
“Yeah, go ahead.”  
Takeshi didn't hesitate to allow the vampiric power to rise, then sink slender fangs into the offered neck.  
“Wow...”  
The soft gasp made Takeshi smile, then he allowed the power to flow, planting the seed of change in Bran's soul and he was pleased to find that it took a fair amount of power before he reached his limit.  
Setting Bran down in the soft grass of the Sanctuary Takeshi joined Dan to wait for the change and soon the human male was replaced with a large, black, horse.

“A horse..?”  
Dan sounded quite confused as so far everyone who had taken the Blessing had become some sort of predator.  
“He's not done yet, and with the power he took he's definitely not a regular horse.”  
“So some sort demonic or mythological horse then?”  
“Definitely.”  
They could feel the power shift and change, but there were no more visual changes and before long the large stallion rose and looked around to get his bearings.  
“Damn, he's almost as big as Logan's steed.”  
Bran's form was very large with the strong, graceful, body of a friesian, but with feathering all the way up to the knee and hock like a Gypsy.  
Dan's soft words instantly had Bran's focus on him and the ears swiveled as he instinctively checked the area for danger.  
“How are you feeling?”  
The soft snort didn't speak of any discomfort so Takeshi carefully guided him through the basics of the silent communication of the Blessed.

“_It's too cramped in here, I need more space.”_  
Bran was pawing at the ground, showing that he was getting frustrated.  
“Okay, do you think you can shift back?”  
_“No... I don't think I'm done...”_  
Takeshi nodded and approached slowly, placing his hands the withers and gently running them down the shoulders.  
“Think you can handle being brought out of here through the shadows?”  
_“Yeah.”_  
“Good, I'll bring us out to the beach.”  
Pulling on the shadows he opened the gateway and moments later they were standing on the beach.  
_“Back away!”_  
The silent words were paired with a sharp squeal that had both Takeshi and Dan backing away as fast as the dared, not wanting to startle Bran in his instinct driven state.

The moment they were clear the power of the Blessing flared one more time, exploding out with a brilliant light, and once it faded the reason for the discomfort became obvious as Bran's form was revealed to be that of a winged unicorn.  
The somewhat small space in the Sanctuary would not have been enough to fit his large wings, and instincts had rebelled against completing the transformation in an area where he would be unable to fully extend his wings.  
He wasn't your traditional specimen though, instead of the usual feather wings he had massive leather wings and the tail was long and reptilian, but with a tuft of glowing hair at the end, and the hair of the mane and feathering started out black, but toward the tips it was glowing the same electric blue, as did the hooves and horn.  
The horn was slightly curved, and clearly wickedly sharp, and he had fangs, no doubt a demonic predator.  
“Magnificent...”


End file.
